Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.
Before we get into the interview, I wanted to share some thoughts from my time with the game. I was only able to pay in handheld mode; no docked options were available. While it was locked to a slightly choppy 30fps, latency wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, and jumping into combat again was like riding a bike. It by no means looks as good as it does on PlayStation 5 or PC, but the fact that the team could get this game running on such limited hardware without cutting content is impressive in itself.
The biggest new feature I welcome as a busy adult is the Streamlined Progression system, new to this and the Xbox Series X|S versions, which is essentially activating God Mode. You’ll be able to access a variety of different sliders to adjust a ton of different settings in the game. Everything from increasing XP gained to always-full Limit Gauges are here, and everything in between.
On to the interview:
“[W]e believe we’re delivering a game optimized for each platform without altering its design or volume”
Myles Obenza, SmashPad(SP): Were there any specific challenges in porting the game to Switch 2?
Naoki Hamaguchi, Director of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(NH): The most challenging aspect was ensuring that the expansive world and immersion that defines Rebirth was realized as both a handheld and home console experience. This is a title where the vast fields, the atmosphere crafted through lighting, and the immersion into the world are paramount. Because of this, we reassessed rendering methods, lighting, and streaming calculations of backgrounds to better suit the Switch 2’s characteristics, optimizing the game to maintain stable frame rates. Our goal was to ensure that switching between the handheld and TV modes wouldn’t change the game experience for players. That was something we refused to compromise on until the very end.
SP: Did you have to make any big concessions for the Switch 2 version, like cutting content?
NH: We haven’t removed any content. Our top priority was ensuring Switch 2 players could also experience Rebirth—which picks up where Remake left off—exactly as it was intended. Because of this, we focused our efforts on technical readjustments rather than removing content, such as how assets were rendered, streaming mechanisms, and how renders involving higher processing loads could be made viable. As a result, we believe we’re delivering a game optimized for each platform without altering its design or volume.
SP: Both Rebirth and the Remake physical version on Switch 2 come with an alternate art Magic: The Gathering card. How did that partnership come to be?
NH: The Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering collaboration received a much stronger response from fans than we had expected. As we were thinking about the Switch 2 physical edition, we asked ourselves if there was a way we could craft an experience that went beyond simply playing the game. By holding original artwork cards in your hands, you can feel a sense of something special even before starting the game. This partnership was realized from this idea of wanting players to enjoy FINAL FANTASY through this type of tactile, “hands-on experience” too.
SP: Is there any platform-exclusive content fans can expect?
NH: There is no platform-exclusive content related to the story or gameplay. Our biggest priority was ensuring that the core Rebirth experience remains consistent across platforms. Instead, we’ve made detailed optimizations for things like performance and rendering so the game can be played naturally in players’ respective environments. Our philosophy was aligning the quality of the experience, rather than differentiating them with separate content.
SP: Are there plans to release the third remake game on platforms other than PlayStation 5?
NH: There’s nothing I can share regarding the platforms of the third game at this current time. However, what we can say for certain is that our goal is to deliver this series to as many people as possible. Even until now, we’ve expanded the series beyond PlayStation 5 to Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. I think what many fans want to know isn’t simply “whether or not” the game will be released, but “when” and “in what way” it’ll be delivered. The question of what would be the best way to meet these expectations is something we’re thinking about very seriously right now. We’ll definitely be sure to share more information when the time is right.
Our thanks to Hamaguch-san, Square Enix, and fortyseven communications for the opportunity. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S June 3.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.
Before we get into the interview, I wanted to share some thoughts from my time with the game. I was only able to pay in handheld mode; no docked options were available. While it was locked to a slightly choppy 30fps, latency wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, and jumping into combat again was like riding a bike. It by no means looks as good as it does on PlayStation 5 or PC, but the fact that the team could get this game running on such limited hardware without cutting content is impressive in itself.
The biggest new feature I welcome as a busy adult is the Streamlined Progression system, new to this and the Xbox Series X|S versions, which is essentially activating God Mode. You’ll be able to access a variety of different sliders to adjust a ton of different settings in the game. Everything from increasing XP gained to always-full Limit Gauges are here, and everything in between.
On to the interview:
“[W]e believe we’re delivering a game optimized for each platform without altering its design or volume”
Myles Obenza, SmashPad(SP): Were there any specific challenges in porting the game to Switch 2?
Naoki Hamaguchi, Director of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(NH): The most challenging aspect was ensuring that the expansive world and immersion that defines Rebirth was realized as both a handheld and home console experience. This is a title where the vast fields, the atmosphere crafted through lighting, and the immersion into the world are paramount. Because of this, we reassessed rendering methods, lighting, and streaming calculations of backgrounds to better suit the Switch 2’s characteristics, optimizing the game to maintain stable frame rates. Our goal was to ensure that switching between the handheld and TV modes wouldn’t change the game experience for players. That was something we refused to compromise on until the very end.
SP: Did you have to make any big concessions for the Switch 2 version, like cutting content?
NH: We haven’t removed any content. Our top priority was ensuring Switch 2 players could also experience Rebirth—which picks up where Remake left off—exactly as it was intended. Because of this, we focused our efforts on technical readjustments rather than removing content, such as how assets were rendered, streaming mechanisms, and how renders involving higher processing loads could be made viable. As a result, we believe we’re delivering a game optimized for each platform without altering its design or volume.
SP: Both Rebirth and the Remake physical version on Switch 2 come with an alternate art Magic: The Gathering card. How did that partnership come to be?
NH: The Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering collaboration received a much stronger response from fans than we had expected. As we were thinking about the Switch 2 physical edition, we asked ourselves if there was a way we could craft an experience that went beyond simply playing the game. By holding original artwork cards in your hands, you can feel a sense of something special even before starting the game. This partnership was realized from this idea of wanting players to enjoy FINAL FANTASY through this type of tactile, “hands-on experience” too.
SP: Is there any platform-exclusive content fans can expect?
NH: There is no platform-exclusive content related to the story or gameplay. Our biggest priority was ensuring that the core Rebirth experience remains consistent across platforms. Instead, we’ve made detailed optimizations for things like performance and rendering so the game can be played naturally in players’ respective environments. Our philosophy was aligning the quality of the experience, rather than differentiating them with separate content.
SP: Are there plans to release the third remake game on platforms other than PlayStation 5?
NH: There’s nothing I can share regarding the platforms of the third game at this current time. However, what we can say for certain is that our goal is to deliver this series to as many people as possible. Even until now, we’ve expanded the series beyond PlayStation 5 to Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. I think what many fans want to know isn’t simply “whether or not” the game will be released, but “when” and “in what way” it’ll be delivered. The question of what would be the best way to meet these expectations is something we’re thinking about very seriously right now. We’ll definitely be sure to share more information when the time is right.
Our thanks to Hamaguch-san, Square Enix, and fortyseven communications for the opportunity. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S June 3.
by Myles Obenza
