Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: What we know about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake sequel (that isn’t a 'remake')

It’s been two years since the ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ was released by Square Enix, a remastered edition of the beloved PlayStation RPG from 1997.

Now, ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ has been announced as this trilogy’s second instalment, coming to PS5 in 2023.

The latest chapter was announced during the 25th Anniversary Celebration for the 1997 RPG which featured major updates.

Firstly, it was confirmed that a ‘Crisis Core Remaster’ was in development, allowing fans to relive Zack Fair’s legendary journey to find the missing SOLDIER.

Cloud encounters the legendary villain Sephiroth once more in Rebirth's story.

It was also confirmed that ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ would be a trilogy, as ‘Part 3’ is already in active development. It is an exciting time to be a Final Fantasy fan.

However, the sequel seems to have turned from the beaten path of the original lore, which has sparked heated debates amongst gamers about what this means for the franchise.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Release Date

‘Rebirth’ has a loose release window of “next winter.” Typically, this season runs from December to March, so we expect the sequel to land in 2023.

This means it will have been three long years of waiting since the release of ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’.

What platforms can you play Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on

For now, the only confirmed platform for ‘Rebirth’ is PS5. It appears that the sequel is skipping PS4 as Square Enix is only focusing its efforts on the new generation of consoles.

Meanwhile, PC gamers can take comfort in knowing that with ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake Integrade’ now available on Steam, there’s a good chance that ‘Rebirth’ will eventually find its way there.

Similarly, we know that the ‘Crisis Core Remaster’ is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X in future, so we can speculate that Square Enix may include ‘Rebirth’ for release on Xbox.

The story of ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’

Square Enix re-imagined the story of ‘Final Fantasy 7’ for a modern generation of gamers so we cannot be sure the exact story ‘Rebirth’ will tell.

So far, what we do know is that it will directly continue from where ‘Integrade’ left off: with Zack entering the Sector 5 church in pursuit of Aerith, and Cloud arriving at Kalm Village.

From here, players will be able to explore the world beyond the confines of Midgar.

According to the Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura, fans won’t need to have played previous instalments to enjoy this sequel.

He said: “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is being designed so that people can enjoy this game whether they know the original game or not.

“In fact, new players might even enjoy starting their Final Fantasy 7 journey with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.”

SPOILERS: Will the death of “you know who” happen in ‘Rebirth’?

Square Enix entitling their second instalment ‘Rebirth’ comes as no surprise to fans who suspected it may not refer to itself as a “remake” unlike its predecessor.

This is likely due to the story moving in new directions that are not faithful to the source material.

However, this may delight fans of a certain character who holds one of the most iconic deaths in video game history. There’s new hope that her fate may not be set in stone.

The reveal trailer hints at this premise as we listen to a conversation between Cloud and Aerith, she says: “What we've done, that’s set in stone, the past is forever. But the future, even if it has been written, can be changed. So focus on the future, not the past.”

Could this be a nod to fans suggesting a twist of fate for the beloved character?

Only time will tell, but what’s for sure is that ‘Rebirth’ is going to be a phenomenal experience for the fanbase.

Game Director Naoki Hamaguchi concluded: “The Final Fantasy 7 project will be a three-part trilogy, but Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is much more than just one instalment in the series.”