Serving as the second part of a remake trilogy for one of the most beloved video games of all time, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth finds itself in a somewhat precarious position. The critical and commercial success of part one - simply titled Final Fantasy 7 Remake - has set the bar for the sequel even higher, as fans desperately wait to see how the next chapter of protagonist Cloud Strife's story unfolds in this new timeline. Despite being given a tentative launch window of Winter 2023, the current silence surrounding Final Fantasy 7Rebirth could be pointing toward a delay.
At the time of writing, Final Fantasy 16 is a little over a month away from release. Square Enix's marketing for the game continues to ramp up, and plenty of trailers and in-game footage have been released at this point. On the contrary, almost nothing has been shown yet of Rebirth. Aside from a brief teaser trailer and a couple of seconds of footage, the game remains a mystery. This could be a deliberate way of ensuring all the focus is on Final Fantasy 16, but it could also mean the game is currently behind schedule.
A Delay For Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth May Be Inevitable
Final Fantasy 7 Remake covered the story's events in the city of Midgar in their entirety. In terms of Final Fantasy 7's complete story though, this was only the first portion, and there is a significant amount of narrative ground left to cover. Just how much of this narrative will be covered in Rebirth is not currently known, but it's a relatively safe bet to assume the game will contain more content than Remake, which some fans felt was a little too short for a Final Fantasy game.
Of course, this new timeline could see things play out altogether differently than fans remember. Final Fantasy 7Remake introduced the Whispers, harbingers of fate who attempted to ensure that events played out as they were supposed to. Upon defeating these in the game's climax, Cloud and his friends have theoretically opened up a host of new possibilities. Key events from the original game, such as the death of Aerith Gainsborough, are no longer guaranteed to happen, or at least not in the way they did originally.
Final Fantasy 16's release should, in theory, see Square Enix's attention shift to Rebirth, and if the game is indeed on schedule, fans should expect to see much more of the game in the summer. However, if the game is not where it needs to be right now, then news of an official delay may filter through quickly following FF16's release. Recent titles like Redfall and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor were both plagued by performance issues at launch, showcasing the pitfalls of games releasing before being properly ready. With this in mind, fans would probably willingly accept a delay for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, as long as this ensures the final product is able to meet the high expectations that have been set for it.
2023 has already seen several Game of the Year contenders, with titles such as Resident Evil 4 Remake and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amassing incredible review scores. It is likely that these will be joined by others as the year continues, with the likes of Final Fantasy 16 and Spider-Man 2 both expected to be contenders as well. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth faces a race against time in order to release before the year is out, and fans of the legendary RPG franchise will be hoping that if it does, its name is added to this list.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is currently scheduled for a Winter 2023 release on PS5.
