Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi has detailed the development of the trilogy's concluding chapter, addressing player feedback, mini-game design, and the game's planetary-scale ambition. Revelation launches April 8, 2027 on PC, PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Development began before Rebirth shipped
Hamaguchi explained that work on Revelation began immediately after Rebirth, with no break. About a year before Rebirth's release, he was already drafting the overall direction and concept for Revelation, asking writer Nojima-san to complete a story draft by the time Rebirth went on sale. This allowed the team to move quickly once full development started, resulting in roughly three-and-a-half years of production time.
Regarding the title, Hamaguchi said the name "Revelation" reflects the ending of the trilogy. Both he and creative director Tetsuya Nomura enjoyed reading fan theories about possible titles. The word encapsulates the revealing of hidden things and the final instalment, a meaning the team wanted for both themselves and players.
Mini-games and player feedback
Hamaguchi addressed criticism about Rebirth's mini-games, clarifying that Revelation will include many, as the original Final Fantasy 7 had a lot. He emphasised that the game offers options to skip mini-games, allowing players to progress more easily without changing overall difficulty. He denied that the game has been made easier for those who want it easy.
On feedback more broadly, Hamaguchi stated he has not changed the fundamental game design due to player reactions. He personally monitors customer responses and has adjusted playability and usability elements from Rebirth, as well as incorporating feedback received after Revelation's announcement. He believes the series has been made together with players and fans.
Open-world exploration and Queen's Blood
The High Wind airship allows players to explore the world map freely once obtained. Hamaguchi noted that in-game explanations, such as heavy surveillance in certain airspace, will prevent players from reaching story-restricted areas like Midgar early. This differs from Rebirth, where such free exploration was not possible.
Hamaguchi admitted he was taken aback by Queen's Blood's popularity, despite feeling confident in the card game's rules. Revelation will introduce new cards with new stats and skills, while keeping the fundamental rules the same. Boss characters at key locations will break rules in certain ways to keep the experience fresh.
Switch 2 performance and Chadley's new role
Hamaguchi expressed confidence that the Switch 2 version of Revelation will match the experience delivered by Rebirth on that platform. The team's experience optimising an open world of that scale for Switch 2 serves as the benchmark for Revelation.
Regarding Chadley, Hamaguchi acknowledged the character's polarising reception. To avoid exacerbating existing opinions, Chadley's role has been changed. He will no longer provide open-world guidance but will have a significant role in the main story. Hamaguchi is looking forward to fan reactions to this change.
As a personal fan, Hamaguchi said he would love to see a remake of Final Fantasy 6, his favourite mainline entry, though he joked it might need to be a four-part series. He promised that right until the very end of Revelation, there will be plenty of scope for theorising about the story's outcome, and he looks forward to players' reactions and emotions at the series' conclusion.
