Remake on hold until series improves

[Jiro]

That hotly anticipated remake to Final Fantasy VII could be closer than we thought. Yoichi Wada, CEO of Square Enix, discussed the possibility during the company's Q&A section of their annual shareholders meeting and the requirements before such a task could be undertaken. His condition: first they have to make a game that exceeds FF7.

That's a tall order from a company whose flagship series has been dividing its fanbase with recent instalments. The fact that Versus XIII seems stuck in development hell is just another black mark on the gaming juggernaut.

However, Wada's words are a resounding assessment of the condition the Final Fantasy series in. Obviously Square Enix shares the same feelings as its fans - the quality of games in the Final Fantasy series needs to improve - but Wada said that to release the remake now would ultimately be a nail in the coffin for the series as a whole.

He did note that staff would happily throw themselves behind a FF7 remake, but until such a time as Square Enix returns to its former glory, we fans will have to sit on our hands and continue awaiting that remake. In the mean time, it does look like Final Fantasy VII might be getting a Steam release, so it's not all bad.

Source: andriasang

[Sephex]

They'll crack and remake it eventually.

[Slothy]

Make a game that exceeds FFVII? Do they mean in sales? Because FFIX and XII are already better than it.

[Alpha2099]

Make a game that exceeds FFVII? Do they mean in sales? Because FFIX and XII are already better than it.

Hmmmm...

[ReloadPsi]

I'm quite excited about the PC version going on Steam actually, but I've never actually used Steam before so I have no idea how easy/hard/impossible it'll be to put any mods on it. If all else fails I can borrow it off my friend who still has it...

[Loony BoB]

That wasn't him saying they will remake VII soon, that was simply him saying he is more interested in making his own games than remaking VII after someone asked him if a VII remake was on the cards. I would say it's more of a "We're not making a remake of VII right now" than the opposite which is being suggested. It's just a website trying to pull in views by reporting false news, I'd say.

[Iceglow]

Well why not turn this in to an open discussion...

The words used were "we need to make a game that exceeds FFVII in terms of quality. If we were to remake it before then, it would mean we're done with the series" So what could SE do to make an FF title of higher quality than FFVII...

Here's an opener from me:

Get back to the basics, JRPGs are not dead, seems they might smell funny though in these later years, perhaps thats because they're all trying to wear the butch cologne of WRPGs or the even more macho scent of an action game. You're not making Devil May Cry, you're not making Elder Scrolls, you're making a JRPG Lets get the series back to that!

[Alpha2099]

Amen, brother!

I have always been drawn to the early FFs myself. They have a simplicity in terms of gameplay, but there's enough complexity that it makes you want to play again and try something different (examples: trying different group combos in FF1, messing with Materia in FF7). If they can do something like that, and stay away -- FAR AWAY -- from anything that remotely resembles a License Board, they might be able to revive the series very quickly.

[Del Murder]

Yeah, I interpret this the same way as BoB. Still fun to speculate, though.

[Jiro]

You don't mention how much bad it would do if you were remade it now, as well as mention how much the staff want to work on the piece, if you're not planning on following through. That was a strategy he was proposing, really, a way to continue the series. However, it was shareholders he was talking to, and I would be very positive about possible money makers like that to my shareholders.

[Loony BoB]

You don't mention how much bad it would do if you were remade it now, as well as mention how much the staff want to work on the piece, if you're not planning on following through. That was a strategy he was proposing, really, a way to continue the series. However, it was shareholders he was talking to, and I would be very positive about possible money makers like that to my shareholders.

He was responding to a question specifically about a VII remake, so it's completely reasonable that he would mention all of that which he mentioned. You're right about the shareholder thing, too. I think they'll be smart enough to read through all that as "Not right now, no existing plans to do it."

[ShinGundam]

Well why not turn this in to an open discussion...

The words used were "we need to make a game that exceeds FFVII in terms of quality. If we were to remake it before then, it would mean we're done with the series" So what could SE do to make an FF title of higher quality than FFVII...

Here's an opener from me:

Get back to the basics, JRPGs are not dead, seems they might smell funny though in these later years, perhaps thats because they're all trying to wear the butch cologne of WRPGs or the even more macho scent of an action game. You're not making Devil May Cry, you're not making Elder Scrolls, you're making a JRPG Lets get the series back to that!

Ugh, But a lot of basics that were associated to FF series such as ATB, Chocobos, summons, spellblades, Limit breaks, Green/Time/Blue magic, multiple vehicles, etc are never been a part of original game either.

Editaga: What Wada wanted to say is, FF is a prison of its legacy.

[Alpha2099]

Editaga: What Wada wanted to say is, FF is a prison of its legacy.

As the saying goes, "Achieving the impossible only means it will be added to your job description." When you make a game that becomes a mega-hit, people will expect every game thereafter to be a mega-hit.

[Wolf Kanno]

Wada mentions that a remake of VII would destroy the franchise, partly because it's success would only help to prove the current staff can't produce a game of it's caliber anymore, in other words, it would probably confirm what most fans have suspected for awhile. While I don't necessarily like Wada and I often feel he's more of the problem than he admits, I have to say I agree that SE should be trying to build a game that can chump the older titles. What I'm not sure is if he knows what that would entail and understands what the series has been missing.

[Sephex]

Wada mentions that a remake of VII would destroy the franchise, partly because it's success would only help to prove the current staff can't produce a game of it's caliber anymore, in other words, it would probably confirm what most fans have suspected for awhile. While I don't necessarily like Wada and I often feel he's more of the problem than he admits, I have to say I agree that SE should be trying to build a game that can chump the older titles. What I'm not sure is if he knows what that would entail and understands what the series has been missing.

But then why is it okay to port or remake other FF games? In I and IV's case, multiple times? They already crossed that line multiple times. Why hold off on VII?

It's kind of like a drunk person saying, "Nah, man. I've already had 40 beers. Having my 41st would be taking it too far!"

Square-Enix has already indulged themselves. Just drink the final beer, bro!