Headlining the latest PlayStation State of Play event was the reveal of Final Fantasy 7 Remake for PlayStation 5. Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS5 will come with some major enhancements when compared to the PS4 original, including improved graphics, a photo mode, and generally superior performance. It will also feature some new story content, and while some had hoped that the story DLC would be coming to PS4 as well, it seems to be exclusive to PS5.
Square Enix is re-releasing Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS5 as Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. This will get players access to Final Fantasy 7 Remake along with the Yuffie DLC, which is a brand new story expansion that focuses on fan favorite ninja character Yuffie. Those on PlayStation 5 also have the option to purchase the Yuffie DLC on its own after they upgrade their PS4 version of the game.
It's unclear why the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Yuffie episode is PS5 exclusive. After all, Final Fantasy 7 Remake performed just fine on PS4, and there doesn't seem to be anything in the Yuffie DLC that would require it to be PS5 exclusive. However, it's possible that there is content in the DLC that does indeed restrict it to the PS5. Perhaps it uses the DualSense controller's unique features, for example. But if there is a reason, Square Enix has yet to reveal it.
While there was a great deal of hype for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake PS5 upgrade, the announcement hasn't been without controversy. The Yuffie DLC being exclusive to PS5 is one controversy, but so too is the fact that the upcoming PS Plus version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake can't upgrade to the PS5 version for free. This has left a sour taste in some fans' mouths, as even if they have the game through PS Plus, they will still need to purchase it at full price if they want to see the PS5 upgrades.
Muddying the waters more is the Final Fantasy 7 Remake PS5 price, slated to be $70. The $10 price increase for video games has been hugely controversial since publishers started experimenting with it last year, but it looks as though it's here to say. That being said, gamers could potentially save themselves quite a bit of money if they pick up the PS4 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake at a discount and then purchase the Yuffie DLC separately. A price point for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Yuffie DLC has yet to be announced at the time of this writing, but it's hard to believe that it would be $40.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade launches June 10, exclusively for PS5.
