Why we won't see a remake Sorry guys, it's not going to happen.

[toad626]

This will probably get deleted or closed as this topic has been overly discussed, but I want to explain logically why this so called remake will never happen. Reasons, I'll list them

1. Guys look at Square-Enix's current projects. They have no time what so ever to do a remake. Most of their remakes where done by their subsidiaries. Tose did most of the PS1 16-bit era and 3 DS was mostly done by Matrix (at least all the programming work). Sending a game of that fame and caliber to one of these porters would get people nervous as it's far more popular than the old schools.

2. Cost. Are you guys aware of how much it costs to develop a game in this generation of gaming? Graphics have gotten so good that, freakn shadows under characters eyelids have to be programmed in. Because of this level of detail for the PS3 and Xbox 360 it costs over 160 million to develop a game now. That's a lot of resources that could be spent on new projects.

3. Original developers have moved on. Sakaguchi is gone. Nojima formed his own company and probably charges Square an absurd amount of money now for his work. Uematsu also formed his own company. And we would need him as 7 was programmed with MIDI files which would not fly with the PS3. Original developers are important. Why do you think we haven't seen a new Chrono game. Chrono is an excellent franchise but the original developers have long split. Why do you think Cross wasn't as good as it should have been? The reason is cause they did it with less than half the original crew.

4. The PS3 is in deep blank... It is really hurting in the sales department. It's not looking to good for Sony right now. It's gotten a little better than it was, but far from turning into a good profit. The playstation is 60 percent I believe of Sony's revenue and when it's only selling well in Japan we have problems. With all this it may not be the best investment to produce a huge expensive remake for the lowest selling system????? Think about it. Where is the logic in that. Exactly, you're going to put that investment into new projects, not rehash old ones. (They are in fact already gambling with FF13 as it may only sell well in Japan due to the fact that the PS3 is last in other parts of the world.)

5. Won't see it for Xbox or Nintendo. Well you just won't. I recall Sony has some type of ownership of the company. At least as far as this game is concerned. I think it was stocks or something. Or a joint publisher of FF7. Why do you think Crisis Core is coming to the PSP instead of the better selling DS (I'm ignoring the fact that Crisis Core is using graphics above the DS capabilities)? Even with less graphics it would sell better on DS. Sony has some ownership of this game. Can't remember exactly, and not about to look it up. I pretty sure it was a joint publisher though.

6. Square Enix is going a little hand held crazy as of late, if you didn't notice (though a lot of these handheld titles are being developed by subsidieries ). This would be the most likely place you'll see a remake, would just be a graphical update instead of a full blown new game. And will probably be programmed by a side company with Nomura heading it. The reason is because the handheld market is HOT HOT HOT right now. The DS and PSP are blowing away the other consoles in sales right now. And handheld games cost much less to develope and are quicker to turn a profit than the full blown out graphics. Expect a remake in this category if it happens, and only to preserve the game so people will still get to play instead of forgetting about it. (this was why Trigger came out in Chronicles, many complaints that people couldn't get the game anymore).

7. There's a shift in gaming right now. RPG's are changing. They are getting more action oriented. Turn based combat is starting to become tedious to many gamers and a remake of an old battle system would not fly with many gamers even if it is the great FF7. And making it actiony, ah no! that would just be wrong and would defeat the purpose of a remake. So a remake could be a risky investment when interests have changed.

8. Only those that played the original would touch it. And this number would be less than the original fan base. The new generation, would probably ignore it completely. They will have 13 to play and will say the same thing about the old games just like when 7 was released. Were these FF series noobs interested in the 16-bit era games, no way. It would have to have stunning graphics and be superior to 13. Which gets back into cost.

9. Japan is really the only super great market for RPGs. They do sell in other places of the world and turn a profit and top lists of sales, but fall far short to other games. Final Fantasy 13 won't even come close to the sales of GTA 4 and you know it. They were only topping the list during the 32 bit era. Now it takes Japan to justify the cost to produce a FF at all where half their sales are.

I've stated enough reasons. And if you noticed, most of it comes down to cost and resources. Cost, cost, cost. on a gamble that may not turn a large enough profit for the company to justify the cost to produce. And in my opinion, I don't believe Nomura and Kitase are interested in doing a remake. They are the only ones left and they are a little busy. Kitase is more of a producer now than a developer. So he's out on time constraints alone as he's overseeing probably 20+ projects. And Nomura well...how about a scenario. After Nomura gets done with 13. Buena Vista games will be calling him the next day and they will have this conversation: "ok you finished FF13 so ah, will you be turning your full attention to the development of KH3 now? how far into development are we, what's our time frame for a release, how's the game looking?" That will be their conversation He'll finish that in time to turn his full attention to FF14. And so forth, with occasional side projects in between. But that's just getting back to reason 1. No guys, sorry a remake is not coming. The factors are stacking up against the idea.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

5. Won't see it for Xbox or Nintendo. Well you just won't. I recall Sony has some type of ownership of the company. At least as far as this game is concerned. I think it was stocks or something. Or a joint publisher of FF7. Why do you think Crisis Core is coming to the PSP instead of the better selling DS (I'm ignoring the fact that Crisis Core is using graphics above the DS capabilities)? Even with less graphics it would sell better on DS. Sony has some ownership of this game. Can't remember exactly, and not about to look it up. I pretty sure it was a joint publisher though.

Sony's stock in Square Enix doesn't give them any particular influence over the company, nor does the fact that they published FFVII preclude a remake from being released on non-Sony platforms. Remakes of Square's Nintendo-published games certainly didn't have any trouble making the jump to the WonderSwan and PlayStation.

[The Crystal]

I've stated enough reasons. And if you noticed, most of it comes down to cost and resources. Cost, cost, cost. on a gamble that may not turn a large enough profit for the company to justify the cost to produce.

Do you have any idea of how many people are waiting for a remake?! It will sell like water in the desert.

And in my opinion, I don't believe Nomura and Kitase are interested in doing a remake.

......You didn't read any interview with them, did you? Not only Kitase and Nomura, but other people inside SE are interested in doing a remake too.

[toad626]

5. Won't see it for Xbox or Nintendo. Well you just won't. I recall Sony has some type of ownership of the company. At least as far as this game is concerned. I think it was stocks or something. Or a joint publisher of FF7. Why do you think Crisis Core is coming to the PSP instead of the better selling DS (I'm ignoring the fact that Crisis Core is using graphics above the DS capabilities)? Even with less graphics it would sell better on DS. Sony has some ownership of this game. Can't remember exactly, and not about to look it up. I pretty sure it was a joint publisher though.

Sony's stock in Square Enix doesn't give them any particular influence over the company, nor does the fact that they published FFVII preclude a remake from being released on non-Sony platforms. Remakes of Square's Nintendo-published games certainly didn't have any trouble making the jump to the WonderSwan and PlayStation.

True but Nintendo did not publish the earlier games. Square was the sole publisher. Stock not so much, but publishing is an issue. I don't think Sony would allow it and would probably slap down the law if they tried 7 on another platform. Either way, you know they wouldn't port it anyway to a non Sony platform. No matter the reasons they just won't.

[toad626]

I've stated enough reasons. And if you noticed, most of it comes down to cost and resources. Cost, cost, cost. on a gamble that may not turn a large enough profit for the company to justify the cost to produce.

Do you have any idea of how many people are waiting for a remake?! It will sell like water in the desert.

And in my opinion, I don't believe Nomura and Kitase are interested in doing a remake.

......You didn't read any interview with them, did you? Not only Kitase and Nomura, but other people inside SE are interested in doing a remake too.

To who? Look at 12's sales. Pitiful for a FF title (ok bad example,lol). Fact is it would take a new generation of fans to support it. There won't be enough of the old. I wouldn't buy a remake of 7. Why, I don't have time. I've grown up as many of FF7's original audience has. And will put what little time I have for games into new games. And many of my old buddies agree with me that they wouldn't buy it either. Same reason no time and we want something new with what little time we have for games. Basically the old audience will be less And the new audience, isn't going to happen. Games are not heading for an RPG future. As much as I love them, I'm realistic. They aren't nearly as popular outside of Japan as other genres. GTA 4 to be exact. You know it will sell 3 or 4 times as much as FF13. Do not argue that. Yes I'll even be picking it up. Of course I'm more interested in 13 though. But I'm out of the popular vote. Basically there're wouldn't be enough of the old audience to support the cost of a remake and without new people = a dead game.

They only said they want to work on what the people want. They never said they wanted to remake FF7. Thinking logically, why would they want to remake it instead of create something new? Ignore your love of the game. That's like a researcher creating a new antibiotic releasing it to market then going back in to change it. That doesn't happen. You get other people to evaluate it and change it, because you are done with it and want to research something else and start work on a another antibiotic. Point is untold stories will have much much more appeal to developers than those that have already been done. That's the way humans are my friend. We like to do new things. That's only my opinion though. Either way it did mention that a possible remake would need to work with both Nomura's and Kitase's schedules. And in case you didn't notice but... Yea... It's not gonna happen those 2 are booked for probably the next 10 years. Just think how big KH3 will need to be to compete against other games.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

5. Won't see it for Xbox or Nintendo. Well you just won't. I recall Sony has some type of ownership of the company. At least as far as this game is concerned. I think it was stocks or something. Or a joint publisher of FF7. Why do you think Crisis Core is coming to the PSP instead of the better selling DS (I'm ignoring the fact that Crisis Core is using graphics above the DS capabilities)? Even with less graphics it would sell better on DS. Sony has some ownership of this game. Can't remember exactly, and not about to look it up. I pretty sure it was a joint publisher though.

Sony's stock in Square Enix doesn't give them any particular influence over the company, nor does the fact that they published FFVII preclude a remake from being released on non-Sony platforms. Remakes of Square's Nintendo-published games certainly didn't have any trouble making the jump to the WonderSwan and PlayStation.

True but Nintendo did not publish the earlier games. Square was the sole publisher. Stock not so much, but publishing is an issue.

Nintendo published FFI in North America, just as Sony published FFVII in North America. Both games were self-published by Square in Japan.

I don't think Sony would allow it and would probably slap down the law if they tried 7 on another platform.

They couldn't "slap down the law," because the law wouldn't be on their side. They have no particular ownership of FFVII.

Fact is it would take a new generation of fans to support it. There won't be enough of the old. I wouldn't buy a remake of 7. Why, I don't have time. I've grown up as many of FF7's original audience has.

Most of FFVII's original audience are insane fanboys who would buy anything even tangentially related to Cloud and Sephiroth. The Compilation project has proven that the game is a huge cash cow for Square Enix.

[The Crystal]

To who? Look at 12's sales. Pitiful for a FF title (ok bad example,lol). Fact is it would take a new generation of fans to support it. There won't be enough of the old. I wouldn't buy a remake of 7. Why, I don't have time. I've grown up as many of FF7's original audience has. And will put what little time I have for games into new games. And many of my old buddies agree with me that they wouldn't buy it either. Same reason no time and we want something new with what little time we have for games. Basically the old audience will be less And the new audience, isn't going to happen. Games are not heading for an RPG future. As much as I love them, I'm realistic. They aren't nearly as popular outside of Japan as other genres. GTA 4 to be exact. You know it will sell 3 or 4 times as much as FF13. Do not argue that. Yes I'll even be picking it up. Of course I'm more interested in 13 though. But I'm out of the popular vote. Basically there're wouldn't be enough of the old audience to support the cost of a remake and without new people = a dead game.

The world is much bigger than you and your old buddies. I visit many forums, and I can guarantee to you that the number of people who are waiting for a remake is HUGE.
And you aren't being realistic. You are just stating your opinion. But something you have to understand, is that you don't know the future and your opinion is not a fact.
You need to get your facts straight too. For example:

They only said they want to work on what the people want. They never said they wanted to remake FF7.

Wrong. They said many times they want to remake FFVII. Nomura even said in an interview that other people inside SE are constantly asking him when they will remake it.

Thinking logically, why would they want to remake it instead of create something new? Ignore your love of the game. That's like a researcher creating a new antibiotic releasing it to market then going back in to change it. That doesn't happen. You get other people to evaluate it and change it, because you are done with it and want to research something else and start work on a another antibiotic. Point is untold stories will have much much more appeal to developers than those that have already been done. That's the way humans are my friend. We like to do new things. That's only my opinion though. Either way it did mention that a possible remake would need to work with both Nomura's and Kitase's schedules. And in case you didn't notice but... Yea... It's not gonna happen those 2 are booked for probably the next 10 years. Just think how big KH3 will need to be to compete against other games.

"Why would they want to remake it instead of create something new?" you ask.
It doesn't matter. They want to. Deal with it.

And in case you didn't notice, Nomura and Kitase can work in multiple projects, they don't need to focus in only one. An example, is Nomura working on FFvsXIII and FFVII:ACC.



I'm sure you noted I'm being a little agressive with you, but I don't like when people state their opinion as if it's a fact.
You don't have a crystal ball to see the future, and you aren't well informed about SE's intentions for the future, considering the fact you never read any interview with them, it seems.
Therefore, everything you said here is nothing more than speculation.

[demondude]

They remade games before its always a possibility.

[Raebus]

I like this thread. Those are valid reasons and I agree with you whole heartedly, continue.

[Selena_Akariko]

To who? Look at 12's sales. Pitiful for a FF title (ok bad example,lol). Fact is it would take a new generation of fans to support it. There won't be enough of the old. I wouldn't buy a remake of 7. Why, I don't have time. I've grown up as many of FF7's original audience has. And will put what little time I have for games into new games. And many of my old buddies agree with me that they wouldn't buy it either. Same reason no time and we want something new with what little time we have for games. Basically the old audience will be less And the new audience, isn't going to happen. Games are not heading for an RPG future. As much as I love them, I'm realistic. They aren't nearly as popular outside of Japan as other genres. GTA 4 to be exact. You know it will sell 3 or 4 times as much as FF13. Do not argue that. Yes I'll even be picking it up. Of course I'm more interested in 13 though. But I'm out of the popular vote. Basically there're wouldn't be enough of the old audience to support the cost of a remake and without new people = a dead game.

The world is much bigger than you and your old buddies. I visit many forums, and I can guarantee to you that the number of people who are waiting for a remake is HUGE.

True. But the amount of people who aren't going to buy a remake or have any interest in it is bigger.

Selena

[blackmage_nuke]

I think the problem is programmers choose to outright ignore gamers who say that they dont care that much about graphics!

[Serapy]

Ah, that post took you that long to write? I'm sensing a huge disagreement between you and the whole FF7 thing.

It's funny, really. If you don't want it to happen, then that does not mean it won't happen. You think you are being realistic that it won't happen? Then consider facts that there are actually possibilities that it might get remade.

It's probably your opinion, but making opinions based on those things are nonsense.

[toad626]

To who? Look at 12's sales. Pitiful for a FF title (ok bad example,lol). Fact is it would take a new generation of fans to support it. There won't be enough of the old. I wouldn't buy a remake of 7. Why, I don't have time. I've grown up as many of FF7's original audience has. And will put what little time I have for games into new games. And many of my old buddies agree with me that they wouldn't buy it either. Same reason no time and we want something new with what little time we have for games. Basically the old audience will be less And the new audience, isn't going to happen. Games are not heading for an RPG future. As much as I love them, I'm realistic. They aren't nearly as popular outside of Japan as other genres. GTA 4 to be exact. You know it will sell 3 or 4 times as much as FF13. Do not argue that. Yes I'll even be picking it up. Of course I'm more interested in 13 though. But I'm out of the popular vote. Basically there're wouldn't be enough of the old audience to support the cost of a remake and without new people = a dead game.

The world is much bigger than you and your old buddies. I visit many forums, and I can guarantee to you that the number of people who are waiting for a remake is HUGE.
And you aren't being realistic. You are just stating your opinion. But something you have to understand, is that you don't know the future and your opinion is not a fact.
You need to get your facts straight too. For example:

They only said they want to work on what the people want. They never said they wanted to remake FF7.

Wrong. They said many times they want to remake FFVII. Nomura even said in an interview that other people inside SE are constantly asking him when they will remake it.

Thinking logically, why would they want to remake it instead of create something new? Ignore your love of the game. That's like a researcher creating a new antibiotic releasing it to market then going back in to change it. That doesn't happen. You get other people to evaluate it and change it, because you are done with it and want to research something else and start work on a another antibiotic. Point is untold stories will have much much more appeal to developers than those that have already been done. That's the way humans are my friend. We like to do new things. That's only my opinion though. Either way it did mention that a possible remake would need to work with both Nomura's and Kitase's schedules. And in case you didn't notice but... Yea... It's not gonna happen those 2 are booked for probably the next 10 years. Just think how big KH3 will need to be to compete against other games.

"Why would they want to remake it instead of create something new?" you ask.
It doesn't matter. They want to. Deal with it.

And in case you didn't notice, Nomura and Kitase can work in multiple projects, they don't need to focus in only one. An example, is Nomura working on FFvsXIII and FFVII:ACC.



I'm sure you noted I'm being a little agressive with you, but I don't like when people state their opinion as if it's a fact.
You don't have a crystal ball to see the future, and you aren't well informed about SE's intentions for the future, considering the fact you never read any interview with them, it seems.
Therefore, everything you said here is nothing more than speculation.

Thank you for proving my point. You've been to many forums. LOL. Exactly. They are the 20% of the original fanbase that would support a remake. These are those of the original fan base remaining after we axe those of us that are after new games. (Which is higher than you.) These 20% are not enough. You need the casual gamers too. That was 7's success. No game succeeds with only the loyal fan base because you know you will sell that on name alone (12's sales problems, casual gamer sales are low and only core are buying it). You need to round it out with those gamers that played through the game only once and *gasp* failed to get Knights of the Round. Me and my buddies are a representation of that 80% fan base. I'm sorry but the number not interested in a remake is much higher than the number that are. Look around you, (meaning a non FF site) and see the types of games dominating right now and talk to people. The great FF7 won't be on their list of games they are looking forward to.

You're doing with all 7 fan boys do. Interpreting interviews to mean what they want to hear. Just because SE employees are asking doesn't mean Nomura wants to remake it. Him and Kitase never said the words, "I want to remake FF7".Their interview answers beat around the bush every time this question comes up. Their response may or may not be their feelings for doing a remake. That's why they don't give a straight answer. Which, yes it is my opinion, but I believe they don't want to do it, but won't say so, cause they don't want to disappoint so they beat around the bush, so little fan boys can interpret their words saying things like you just said. That way no promises are made or broken and everyone is happy.

Yes, but they usually have a main focus at a particular time. Right now it's FF13. When that gets done, it will be KH3. Like Nomura is probably only tinkering with story and maybe a few level designs for KH3 at this point. It won't get into heavy development until FF13 is done. At which point he will probably start with sketches for the next FF cast that he will be in charge of whatever that number may be. A full PS3 remake would take 4+ years of time. If you are SE would you have 2 of your best and brightest taken time off your current projects so they can go and redo one of your old games? The answer is no!!!! It would slow down production and possibly ruin your future new game. As I stated, this is why remakes are usually done by a subsidiary with one or 2 of the original creators stopping in now and then to make sure they don't screw it up (see Tanaka and FF3 DS). That way you don't have to take your best off their projects and you can still produce a remake to rape fans of their money. With PS3 hardware this setup does not work. Which is why we usually see this system as older ports with slight graphics enhancements or for things like handhelds. (see 358/2 Days as an example, h.a.n.d. inc is probably doing most of it. And Nomura probably just dropped off his character designs and comes in now and then to check up on them.)

I could care less about you being aggressive. You need an understanding of cost and profit to understand why this remake isn't going to happen. And No people I don't hate FF7. I loved it. Not as much as others as it ranks #6 on my list and would be #7 had I not hated 8's battle system (I actually thought 8's story was much better than 7).

They remade games before its always a possibility.

No. Not quite. They port them and it's usually done by a subsidiary company.

Edit by Kishi: Don't double-post.

[Bolivar]

i've responded to each #

1. You're precisely right. Kitase's development team have been working on new square games since FFV... we're talkin over 10 years now. Older and other developers like Uematsu and Tanaka have gone back to oversee remakes, but not them. It would be surprising to see them go back to a remake. although I feel VII is inevitable.

2. I don't see cost as a problem as it would turnover crazy amounts of money, that's one point where we disagree.

3. Sakaguchi has moved on, but there's little evidence to suggest he's ever been on the creative side of things (except IX and, ironically, VII). Nojima and Uematsu formed their own companies because they don't want to go to corporate meetings - they want to create. Nojima's worked on and is working on so many Square projects it's no question he would come back to work on it. Uematsu recently stated in a 1UP interview he would come back to work on the VII remake.

4. I think everyone expected/expects that the ps3's turnaround is inevitable. Most people will tell you they're waiting for the new gta/mgs/ff, brand titles and developers that have made sony the legacy it has. With Blue Ray format now being the clear winner of the format war, the ps3 is a truly amazing package. Not only do they have the game angle coming around this year, but it's an overly appealing centerpiece for any entertainment system, and the large middle class family's dad's and kids will have plenty of use for it. Because of blue ray, it's going to really let people get the most out of their HD TV, which is soon to be the standard for everyone. Sony's got a real edge.

5. You're right again, it won't be on XBox or Nintendo. While maybe not Sony & Square, Sony & FFVII have a real partnership. Everything in the compilation has been Sony - PS2, UMD, PSP, and it's only a matter of time before we see somethin for PS3. I think it's more than likely to be the remake.

6. Handhelds (you're right again) are the hot thing right now, the majority of SE titles are for them, but the really big titles that they're going to get behind to push big units are going to be for consoles. If you look at how much handheld games for SE sold last year (ds & psp) - it's really only in the hundreds of thousands, not big blockbusters like console titles.

7. I wouldn't count turn-based out. It seems to be the new thing, actiony-oriented RPGs, but i wouldn't say the market has changed. It's only a recent fad with XBox and microsoft PC's now really getting behind the RPG genre(mass effect, knights of the old republic, fable), so you see alot of Western RPGs getting alot more shine here in the states than Japanese ones. I think if anything you're going to see turn-based evolving with the hardware. FFXII is at its core turnbased, just with a different spin to make it seamless. Alot of JRPGs are turnbased and they'll be more visible once more non-microsoft RPGs start coming out for next gen.

8. Definately not (I disagree on this one). I hear posters like GoldenBoko and PuPu say that they know "rabid fanboys" in their classes who moronically insist VII is the only good FF. We're taklin kids who were 5 years old when this game came out...So obviously there's a demand for it from the younger generation. Plus, since games are now being more accepted into mainstream culture, you're going to see certain titles, especially FFVII attain a whole new culture status, since the 80's generation has matured. Like the Godfather or Scarface are movies that are "guy classics", films that your dad loves, you now have young kids who will recognize FFVII as "that game that my dad loves". So not only are there for the teens now, but in the future a place for FFVII to sell huge numbers.

Not only that, but I see the complete opposite with my circle of friends than you do with yours. I see people now around my age - others in college, maybe friends at the end of high school, and others who are older now, some with houses and jobs of their own, and alot of people who remember VII from back in the day, we get to talkin about FF, and the conversation EVERYTIME inevitably comes to someone saying "VII was the best, though" and how, specifically, if they remade it for ps3 they'd buy it the day it came out. You look at any site with info for XIII or the compilation games and you'll see "they should remake VII for ps3" all over the place. Nomura and Kitase can't have an interview without being asked about it at least once. the demand is huge and it'd sell crazy numbers for square, maybe even more than the original.

9. FFXII sold almost as well as FFX, which was huge. It may be hard for newer RPGs or companies to break in, but FF is always going to be a seller.

So I agree, that it would be surprising, since Nomura and Kitase have been going from project to new project for square for about 15 years now... But with the amount of demand, it's inevitable. It's still generating new titles to this day (AC and Crisis Core arent really that old). Personally, I got alot of gaming on my plate - I'm trying to complete everything in XII, I plan on getting XI afterwards, and XIII and VersusXIII are definately going to get alot of play from me; plus I got FFTA on the side. And that's just the FF I play alone. So I really don't need this game coming out for sometime, but I do know it's a strong possibility, unless in the unlikely event that squareenix or playstation throw in the towel, it's going to happen.

[demondude]

Square-Enix remade final fantasy 3 and they are remaking Final fantasy 4 actually.