Final Fantasy 14 director and producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida has indicated that remaking classic Final Fantasy titles such as Final Fantasy 6, 8, and 9 in the style of Final Fantasy 7 Remake would necessitate a multi-part release, potentially spanning four or even five installments. Yoshida made these remarks during a discussion with Final Fantasy 7 Remake series director Naoki Hamaguchi at the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in Berlin.
Hamaguchi expressed his fondness for Final Fantasy 6, calling it an inspiration for his career in the game industry. This sentiment often leads to speculation about a potential remake, which he regularly has to address. Yoshida elaborated on the immense scale of these older titles, explaining that their content and character depth would demand a development and release strategy comparable to the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 Remake project.
Echoing sentiments previously voiced by Final Fantasy 6 director Yoshinori Kitase, Yoshida suggested that a remake akin to Final Fantasy 7's could take approximately 20 years to complete due to the sheer amount of content. Kitase had previously stated that such a project would require twice the development time of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Hamaguchi also highlighted the dedication of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy team, noting that securing and retaining motivated staff for over a decade of back-to-back development was a significant achievement. He emphasized that remaking titles like Final Fantasy 6 is not a simple decision.
The conversation also touched upon the future of the series, with livestream viewers speculating about Hamaguchi's potential involvement in a future Final Fantasy 17. Both developers also discussed upcoming Final Fantasy 14 content, including a Final Fantasy 7 crossover raid titled Beyond the Lifestream, set to arrive with Final Fantasy 14 version 8.01, and a Keybound Brawler game for FF14’s Golden Saucer. New Barret and Tifa-themed outfits are also planned.
Hamaguchi reiterated the goal of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy: to introduce the beloved 1997 title to a new generation of players by expanding on the world, lore, and characters to convey the original's impact.
Both Yoshida and Hamaguchi praised each other's work, underscoring their continued enthusiasm for the Final Fantasy series. Hamaguchi noted that managing large teams and uniting them behind a shared vision is a manager's biggest challenge, while leading teams to utilize their abilities is the most rewarding aspect of his role.