Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi is approaching the development of the series' upcoming finale, Revelation, with a singular focus: to pour everything into this installment as if it will be the last. Speaking at Gamescom 2026, Hamaguchi expressed a palpable sense of relief and pride as the decade-long project nears its conclusion.
"I always think of myself as the fan who is closest to the production of the game," Hamaguchi stated. "I’ve been involved in developing the series for 10 years now, and we are finally coming up to the final entry. From my personal view, I really believe we’ve made something that will satisfy the fans."
The scale of each game in the trilogy has expanded, with Revelation intended to be the largest. Hamaguchi admitted that the structure wasn't meticulously planned from the outset for all three games simultaneously. Instead, the team concentrated on each title sequentially, ensuring that the gameplay experience evolved across the series to maintain player engagement.
Addressing criticisms that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's main story could get lost amid its extensive side content, Hamaguchi acknowledged that while a large volume of content isn't inherently a design flaw, player motivation for engaging with it is key. For Revelation, the development team has refined the reward structure, clearly communicating what each activity offers. Battle-related content will now primarily yield character power-ups, while mini-game rewards will focus on cosmetic items and flavor, allowing players to prioritize their preferred activities.
While the original Final Fantasy VII's environmentalist themes remain relevant in Revelation, Hamaguchi emphasized that the core message of the series is about the cycle of life and the conflicts arising from exploiting it. He prefers to keep the game's messages general and metaphorical, rather than directly tied to contemporary political issues, to ensure their timeless appeal. However, he highlighted the original game's prescience regarding diversity and its depiction of varied cultures and people, a theme that resonates strongly today.
The central theme for Revelation shifts to resolution and determination, delving into each character's internal journey and motivations for the ultimate battle. Unlike Rebirth, which focused on party dynamics, Revelation will explore individual character arcs more deeply, with player choices in side quests significantly impacting events and story outcomes.
The development team is particularly proud of the Highwind airship's role in creating a planetary-scale open-world experience that balances a sense of global adventure with manageable gameplay pacing. Hamaguchi also discussed the franchise's evolution, particularly with this action-focused trilogy.
"What I really wanted to show the world with the Final Fantasy VII remake series was the potential of Final Fantasy—what it can be," he explained. Hamaguchi believes Final Fantasy can transcend its traditional JRPG roots to compete as a global, action-oriented open-world game, potentially even improving upon existing titles in the genre. This approach, he feels, has set a new benchmark for the franchise's future possibilities, while also affirming that the series can still deliver traditional JRPG experiences when deemed appropriate for a specific game.
Hamaguchi concluded by stating his intention to put all available content for Final Fantasy VII into Revelation, approaching its development with the mindset that it is the definitive conclusion to the saga. "We’re making it as if everything we have for Final Fantasy VII is going to be put into this game," he said. "That’s why I’ve got this confidence, and I think we’re going to beat the original’s legend. We’re going to become the new legend."