Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s producer says story changes were necessary to keep people interested

Final Fantasy 7 director Yoshinori Kitase has commented on the nature of game remakes and further explained why FF7 Remake deviates from the story of the original.

In conversation with VG247Kitase – the producer of the remake games – was asked if he could change story elements without changing the impact of the original game.

“We approached the FF7 Remake project with the goal of making it something that both fans of the original game and people who don’t know can enjoy,” said Kitase.

“I’ve also had experiences where a game I loved and had a lot of fun with in the past was remade and I bought it and played it out of overwhelming nostalgia. It’s fun for a while, but the fun of nostalgia only really lasts in the first few sections, I realized that halfway through and didn’t play any further.

“Because of this, I decided that Final Fantasy 7 Remake would not only appeal to nostalgia, but would also include a new story to feel nostalgic and fresh at the same time.”

Final Fantasy 7 Remake makes a significant number of changes to the original’s storyline; Some fans have even called it a sequel rather than a remake.

It’s also clear that the story will take new directions in future installments, which Kitase confirms.

“The result of [the changes] is that for Part 2 and Part 3 we can give fans the excitement of wondering which parts will be 100 percent faithful to the original – and where the new elements will be added,” said Kitase.

The comments are also interesting given the recent remaster of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, which made changes to the graphics and combat system while staying true to the original narrative. On the other hand, the PSP game was played by far fewer players, so its remaster was more of a reintroduction than a new experience.

Kitase also commented on the legacy of both the original Final Fantasy 7 and the remake.

“The original Final Fantasy 7 has been loved by fans for over 20 years, but I was beginning to think I didn’t want it to end up as something in an archive and wanted to make it a title that would continue to be loved for more 100 years,” he said. “This is Final Fantasy 7 Remake.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Kitase talks about early concepts for the original game, the variety of ideas, and the move from 2D to 3D.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is slated for release in Winter 2023.