Naoki is Hamaguchi one more time Talking to video game journalists about the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. At this point, I am convinced that the man does not sleep. The series co-director is still hard at work on the untitled third and final installment, but with both the first and second installments jumping to Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S in the first half of 2026, he had more reasons to make the interview circuit.
What's the latest? Chatting with German publication ntower, Hamaguchi mentions the playable Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine hype for Part 3. He also talks about the potential for DLC – specifically – that FF7 Rebirth lacked.
A dumb rumor can also be the nail in the coffin
Before we get into it, I'll note that there have been hard-to-believe rumors of a remake part 3 making the rounds. We have not directly reported on this, because it is so unlikely, and the source is so unknown. But a post on ResetEra, which I'm honestly not going to bother linking to, claims (among many other things) there will be. three New playable characters in the finale. Cid and Vincent are the obvious two, with them being the last OG Final Fantasy 7 party members due to the lack of direct player control, but there is also a mysterious third.
Now, granted, Naoki Hamaguchi is unlikely to spoil something like that here and now, before Square Enix pulls the lid on Part 3 and kickstarts its marketing campaign. But doubling down on the hype factor for Sid and Vincent in particular feels like an expectation-check to remind longtime fans that, in fact, there are two more to add to the party roster:
“Also, I can't say too much (laughs), but in the final game, both Vincent and Sid are designed with incredibly cool combat abilities. They're characters that I can't wait for everyone to try.” – Naoki Hamaguchi
By Hamaguchi's own admission just prior to his comments here, Yufi Kisaragi, who was originally designed as a “standalone hero” for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Episode Intermission DLC, is “incredibly versatile.” He, like me, usually includes Yuffie in his active party. Both Sid and Vincent seem to have a good chance of being great add-ons as the trilogy reimagining kicks the plot of the original Final Fantasy 7 into high gear. (There really is so much left to draw from.).
Speaking of DLC, as we all know, Remake got big, where Rebirth got none. Why not reborn? Some might cynically (but perhaps with a degree of real justification) point to the significant drop in launch sales of the second installment compared to the first; Square certainly wants to rush things. And that makes sense, but it's worth noting that Hamaguchi and others have repeatedly asserted that Rebirth's own sales market has changed in big ways in its two years. But, hey. A crisis averted, if there ever was one.
Here is what he said in the same interview:
“When it came to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, we seriously considered the possibility of developing story DLC until immediately before the project officially moved to the planning stage. However, in the context of the long-term trilogy, we concluded that the ongoing development of the DLC of the second installment would have a parallel effect on the game of the third tab. Quality.”
Plus, the remake's DLC was designed as a clever and compelling reason for owners of the early PS4 version to jump to the PS5 with the intergrade port. FF7 Rebirth exists in different situations. While it's entirely possible we'll see a PS6 port someday, no such next-gen leap has been made in the time between Rebirth's release and Part 3. but what about Part 3? Can we see DLC? Maybe:
“As for DLC beyond the third installment, I believe it will depend on whether fans continue to support Final Fantasy VII as both a title and a franchise. If there is significant demand, we will certainly be open to actively exploring those possibilities.”
In my amateur analysis, the Grand Finale sales of the Final Fantasy 7 remake are a funny way of saying that SE needs to be relatively high to justify the cost. How high? Who knows? If they can at least keep things more or less stable with a slow ascent into the successful realm of regeneration, that might be enough. But things always change, and this Part 3 DLC can't be guaranteed, so if it never comes to fruition, that doesn't mean the game was any kind of commercial dud.
Finally, ntower's interviewer pointedly asked Hamaguchi if fans would see the cute Knights of the Round Summons in Part 3. (My money's on yes.) Without direct confirmation, Hamaguchi's answer, I believe, comes closest to this:
“There are many elements that characterize Final Fantasy VII, and I definitely think the visual effects for Knights of the Round and Sephiroth's Supernova are the most iconic. However, I can't go into specifics at this point in terms of how these elements will be handled in the trilogy or what decisions have been made. […] That said, not only as a developer but also as a fan of the original, I'm personally very curious about how to recreate those iconic moments for today's audience.”
If you're so curious, Hamaguchi-san, then I'm sure we'll see KOTR in gorgeous remade graphics when Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is released between now and… uh, when it actually gets here. Here's hoping Summer Game Fest gives us a nice big trailer.
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