When Final Fantasy VII: Revelation arrives on PC and all current-gen consoles, at the same time, in spring 2027, it will bring to a close over a decade's worth of work for game director Naoki Hamaguchi, who has helmed all three titles in this wider saga. From Final Fantasy VII: Remake to Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and into Revelation, he has dedicated a massive chunk of his life to the adventures of Cloud, Sephiroth, Tifa, and the wider gang, which is why it's probably not a huge surprise that he is planning on taking a break from remakes for his next title.
Speaking to Game Informer, Hamaguchi was quizzed about what he'd like to do next, wherein he mentioned that he is likely going to avoid remakes, will probably work on another JRPG at Square Enix, and isn't ruling out sticking with the Final Fantasy wider universe.
"Right in this moment, I'm fully focused on completing FFVII: Revelation and ensuring we're delivering the FFVII: Remake series in a perfect state, so that's where I'm right now. At the same time, I do see a lot of fans and community asking me to take on the helm for a [hypothetical] FFVI remake. So, I'm seeing a lot of that floating online, but, you know, a Final Fantasy VI: Remake or any other remake, it could be me, or it could be someone else. Personally, I think that it might be in better hands if it went to another creator in Square Enix.
"In terms of what I personally want to do, obviously, I think my next creative work is also going to be a JRPG. When you look at all the other titles that we have released at Square Enix, not just the FFVII: Remake series, I think Square Enix, as a brand, as a company, is more than capable of delivering this grand-scale RPG that could resonate to gamers across the world. Fans might have a lot of different expectations, but for me personally, I do want to take on this new challenge with another RPG title after this, whether it be Final Fantasy or a different IP. Again, we don't know. But personally, if it's not Final Fantasy, that's also exciting, because that could be a challenge for me. So, whatever it is, I hope fans look forward to it."
Around 12 years of work on one project is a very admirable feat to say the least so hearing Hamaguchi wants to explore something else in the immediate future isn't exactly a huge surprise. But considering the world of Final Fantasy has near limitless potential, would you like to see Hamaguchi remain in the JRPG universe or delve into something more unique?