History of Final Fantasy VII Remake in Timeline
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) is the first installment in a trilogy remaking the original 1997 PlayStation game. Developed and published by Square Enix for PlayStation 4, with an enhanced version, Intergrade, released for PlayStation 5 and Windows in 2021, and planned releases for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. The game reimagines the opening section of Final Fantasy VII with updated graphics, gameplay, and expanded storylines, focusing on Cloud Strife and his involvement with the eco-terrorist group Avalanche as they fight against the Shinra Electric Power Company.
1997: Original Final Fantasy VII Release
Final Fantasy VII Remake is the first in a planned series of games remaking the original 1997 PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII. It covers the first section of the original game, set in the metropolis Midgar.
1997: Cloud Sees Aerith's Future
In the original 1997 game, Cloud sees the future of Aerith, leaving her fate unknown to returning fans.
1997: John Eric Bentley played the original Final Fantasy VII
John Eric Bentley, who voiced Barret in the remake, played the original 1997 game and admired Barret.
2001: Uematsu and Kitase last worked together
In 2001, Final Fantasy X was the last time Uematsu and Kitase had worked together prior to Final Fantasy VII Remake.
2005: PlayStation 3 Tech Demo at E3
In 2005, demand for a remake of Final Fantasy VII grew following a PlayStation 3 tech demo at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, showcasing the opening of Final Fantasy VII with Square's new Crystal Tools engine, which was at the time known under its codename, "White Engine".
2007: Increased Demand for a Remake
In 2007, during the game's impending tenth anniversary, there was further demand for a remake of Final Fantasy VII. Square denied that any remake was in development on both the 2005 and 2007 occasions.
2007: Original Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Released
In 2007, the original game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII was released.
November 2008: Square Enix Stock Prices Rose
In November 2008, Square Enix's stock prices rose to their highest rating since then, following the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2015.
December 2015: Scenario Completion for First Part
In December 2015, the scenario for the first part of Final Fantasy VII Remake was completed, which covers the beginning to the escape from Midgar. Adjustments were made to account for changes in social norms, and new story material was created by Kazushige Nojima.
2015: Final Fantasy VII Remake Enters Full Production
By late 2015, Final Fantasy VII Remake entered full production, led by Business Division 1 within Square Enix. Tetsuya Nomura was surprised to discover he was the director. Square Enix approached developing Remake at the same level as a main numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series.
2015: Concerns About Project Status
Due to its lack of footage since 2015, switch to internal development, and other projects Nomura was involved in, there were concerns about the status of the project.
2015: Final Fantasy VII Remake Announced at E3
In 2015, Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced during Sony's conference at E3. The announcement trailer caused Square Enix's stock prices to rise, and the trailer garnered over 10 million views in two weeks.
January 31, 2017: 30th Anniversary Event
On January 31, 2017, during the Final Fantasy 30th anniversary opening ceremony event hosted by Square Enix in Tokyo, the first piece of CGI key art for Final Fantasy VII Remake was unveiled, along with announcements for a collaboration event with Mobius Final Fantasy.
2017: Development Focus Shifts Internally
In 2017, the development focus for Final Fantasy VII Remake shifted from external partners to being primarily an internal project. The team decided to expand upon the original with multiple releases, with each game planned to be on a similar scale to Final Fantasy XIII. The first part focuses on the city of Midgar.
2018: Nomura Shifts Attention to Final Fantasy VII Remake
Following E3 2018, Nomura stated that Final Fantasy VII Remake was in development, and his full attention shifted to it when Kingdom Hearts III was completed.
2018: Sales of other Playstation 4 Games
In 2018, Marvel's Spider-Man sold 3.3 million copies and God of War sold 3.1 million copies.
May 2019: Teaser Trailer Shown During State of Play
In May 2019, a teaser trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake was shown during PlayStation's State of Play broadcast. Kitase revealed that the team wanted to "try something new" on the State of Play broadcast by showing the trailer.
2019: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
In 2019, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released.
2019: E3 2019 Gameplay Showcase and Awards
In 2019, an extended gameplay showcase and demo of Final Fantasy VII Remake was playable at E3, demonstrating parts of the opening mission. It won three awards at the Game Critics Awards and the best looking Unreal Engine game at E3 2019.
2019: Original Final Fantasy VII ports for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One
In 2019, the original Final Fantasy VII was ported for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.
March 2, 2020: Demo Released on PlayStation Store
On March 2, 2020, a demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake was released on the PlayStation Store, covering the first chapter.
March 3, 2020: Initial Release Date Reveal
The initial release date for Final Fantasy VII Remake, March 3, 2020, was revealed in June 2019 in a second teaser trailer during an orchestral concert dedicated to the music of Final Fantasy VII in Los Angeles.
March 2020: Early Physical Copies Due to COVID-19
In March 2020, Square Enix revealed that Europe and Australia would receive physical copies of Final Fantasy VII Remake early due to concerns about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on distribution. This did not apply to downloads.
April 10, 2020: Release Date Pushed Back
The release date for Final Fantasy VII Remake was pushed back from March 3 to April 10, 2020.
April 2020: Remake Tops UK Sales Chart
In April 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake debuted at the top of the weekly sales chart in the United Kingdom and was the fourth most downloaded PlayStation 4 game of the month in Europe. German trade association GAME reported that the game sold more than 100,000 units within Germany in a few days, earning a Gold Sales Award.
April 2020: Top-Selling Game in North America
In April 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake was the top-selling game in North America and the most downloaded PlayStation 4 game in the United States.
August 2020: Sales Exceed 5 Million on PS4
By August 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake had sold over 5 million copies on PlayStation 4.
2020: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released.
2020: Generally Favorable Reviews
In 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, with praise for its faithfulness to the original game. Critics cited the game's detail, storytelling, and fresh perspectives.
2020: Awards and Recognition
In 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake was awarded the Editors' Choice from PlayStation and IGN Japan's Game of the Year. It was also listed as one of the best games of the year by Anime News Network, Siliconera, and RPG Site.
2020: Final Fantasy VII Remake Release
In 2020, Final Fantasy VII Remake, an action role-playing game, was developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4. It is the first in a trilogy of games remaking Final Fantasy VII.
2020: Playable demo released on PlayStation 4
In 2020, a playable demo was released on PlayStation 4 for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.
June 10, 2021: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Release
On June 10, 2021, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, an upgraded version for the PlayStation 5, was released, featuring improved visuals and shorter load times. It included a PS5-exclusive DLC expansion, Episode Intermission, starring Yuffie Kisaragi.
December 16, 2021: Intergrade Windows Release via Epic Games Store
On December 16, 2021, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released for Windows via the Epic Games Store, receiving criticism for stuttering and lack of optimization.
2021: PlayStation 4 Exclusivity Ends
Final Fantasy VII Remake was initially a PlayStation 4 exclusive until 2021.
June 17, 2022: Intergrade Released on Steam
On June 17, 2022, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released on Steam.
December 2022: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion Released
In December 2022, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, a remaster of the 2007 game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, was released.
September 2023: Remake Sales Exceed 7 Million
By September 2023, Final Fantasy VII Remake had sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
September 2023: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth released digitally
In September 2023, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was first released digitally for PlayStation 5.
2023: Music from Remake Included in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
In 2023, music from Final Fantasy VII Remake was included in the rhythm game Theatrhythm Final Bar Line.
February 29, 2024: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Released
On February 29, 2024, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, was released.
2024: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Release
In 2024, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second game in the remake trilogy, was released.
March 2025: Remake Sales Reach 8.7 Million Copies
As of March 2025, Final Fantasy VII Remake had sold 8.7 million copies.
March 2025: Sales Figures for Final Fantasy VII Remake
By March 2025, Final Fantasy VII Remake had sold more than 8.7 million copies.
April 2025: Intergrade Announced for Nintendo Switch 2
In April 2025, Square Enix and Nintendo announced that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade would be released for Nintendo Switch 2 during the Nintendo Direct presentation.
December 4, 2025: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade physical bundle released
On December 4, 2025, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released in a 3-disc physical bundle with its sequel Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
December 16, 2025: Playable Demo Released for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S
On December 16, 2025, a playable demo of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S, similarly structured to the one available on PlayStation 4 since 2020.
January 22, 2026: Intergrade Released on Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Store on Windows
On January 22, 2026, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released on Xbox Series X/S and the Microsoft Store on Windows. These ports introduce an additional difficulty option called "Streamlined Mode", which maximizes the party's HP, MP and Active Time Battle (ATB) gauges and enables all attacks to perform 9,999 hit points on enemies. Streamlined Mode was added to Intergrade on PlayStation 5 and Windows through an update alongside the launch on other consoles.
January 31, 2026: Limited Time Bonus for Digital Purchases
Until January 31, 2026, digital purchases of Intergrade on Switch 2 and Xbox come bundled with the original Final Fantasy VII as a bonus game, based on the 2019 ports for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, respectively.
Mentioned in this timeline
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