If you thought you were a hardcore Final Fantasy fan, you’ve got nothing on Final Fantasy VII Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi. In a recent interview with Nintendo Life, Hamaguchi-san stated that over the course of development on part three of the Remake trilogy, he’s completely “over 40 full playthroughs” of the game to ensure its quality. Considering how long Rebirth is, with rough estimates ranging from 50–100 hours, that’s a lot of play time.
Hamaguchi-san told the outlet, “We’re very excited about how the game is currently progressing. I have already completed over 40 full playthroughs! I can’t wait for as many people as possible to experience the game for themselves, and myself and the team are working hard to ensure we can create an unforgettable gameplay experience.” I hear what he’s saying, but my mind is still reeling at completing a Final Fantasy game 40 times, especially over the course of just a few years.
For reference, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth released on PlayStation 5 in 2024 (it made its way to PC the following year, and is scheduled for a June 6th, 2026, release on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S). Development of Part 3 likely began a few years before Rebirth was on shelves, but if we say it didn’t, then Hamaguchi has beaten part three 40 times in just two years. I know playtesting is extensive for games like this, but that is some wild dedication.
When it comes to the Switch 2 versions, though, it seems the port-based nature of their development has resulted in a quick turnaround. “With large-scale titles like this one, it’s common for a long gap to exist between the first and second installments,” Hamaguchi-san said. “However, because they were ports, we decided we could deliver them without leaving much of a gap. We want to capitalize on this cadence and moment to tie the experiences together without any gaps, from Remake to Rebirth to finally the third installment that lies beyond them.” That sounds promising for Part 3, which could be releasing next year if development goes smoothly.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
