FF9 Remake: Is the Crystal Stalling, or Just Taking a Nap?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Rumours of a Final Fantasy 9 remake are 'on ice' according to renowned leaker Nate the Hate, suggesting Square Enix has paused the project rather than cancelled it. Despite the FF9 animated series resuming production, the beloved classic's modern revamp appears to be deprioritised, perhaps for new mainline titles targeting younger generations – a move that sparks a touch of Jeff's gentle skepticism.
Right, so, you know that feeling when you're meticulously crafting a powerful spell, chanting the incantations just so, only for the magic circle to flicker, hum a bit, and then just… sit there? No explosion, no grand manifestation, just a bit of a fizzle? Yeah, well, that's pretty much where we're at with the long-rumoured Final Fantasy 9 remake, according to the latest whispers from the digital ether. It seems our beloved classic's potential glow-up is currently 'on ice.'
I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, following the breadcrumbs from the legendary leaker Nate the Hate (the bloke with a track record solid enough to build a castle on, apparently). Nate, who's been dropping more bombshells than a clumsy wizard in a magic shop recently, particularly regarding Nintendo's upcoming plans, decided to toss another intriguing nugget into the rumour mill during his latest podcast. And bloody hell, it’s a big one for anyone who holds Zidane, Garnet, and the gang dear to their hearts.
Now, the FF9 remake has been floating around in the collective consciousness for ages, a hopeful phantom limb for many. It first popped its head up during the infamous Nvidia leak earlier this decade – a leak so comprehensive it felt like someone just uploaded their entire development pipeline to the internet. And here’s the kicker: the vast majority of those titles on that list have either been released, officially announced, or at least confirmed to be brewing in some dev cauldron. So, naturally, when FF9 started doing the rounds, everyone paid attention.
But what Nate the Hate briefly, almost casually, dropped was this: "The last update I had on it is that the game is still on ice."
'On ice,' eh? That’s some very specific phrasing, isn't it? It’s not 'cancelled,' which would be like someone accidentally turning a beloved character into a puddle. And it’s certainly not 'confirmed in active development,' which would be like summoning a chocobo that actually flies. No, 'on ice' suggests a sort of stasis. Like a potion waiting to be thawed, or a spell slot currently occupied by something else. As Push Square's Stephen Tailby rightly pointed out, it implies Square Enix hasn't spiked the project entirely, but rather, they've relocated resources. Prioritised other quests, you might say.
And let's be fair, Square Enix has a fair few grand adventures on its plate right now. The Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy has been a massive undertaking, and by all accounts, a pretty successful one, wrapping up its epic saga soon-ish. You’d think with that kind of success, pouring some love into another one of the series' most universally adored entries would be a no-brainer. But the corporate behemoth has other titans to wrangle.
Then there's the peculiar case of the greatly delayed FF9 animated series, which, rather unexpectedly, recently resumed production. You’d think that would be a positive omen, a digital raven carrying news of an impending game revival, wouldn't you? A prequel? A sequel? A spiritual successor? Something to whet the appetite. But according to Nate, it doesn't necessarily mean Square Enix is looking at reviving the game itself. Could it be a completely separate entity? A parallel dimension where one thrives while the other languishes? It’s enough to make a wizard scratch their head.
Another theory doing the rounds, and one that gives me a slight eye-twitch of gentle skepticism, is that Square Enix is looking to put more resources into new mainline entries to "captivate younger generations" versus an "aging fanbase." Now, I get it, companies want to attract new players. But to imply that long-time fans – the ones who’ve been keeping the lights on and buying every spin-off, remake, and questionable NFT initiative for decades – are suddenly less valuable? That's a bit like telling the wise old archmage they're too slow for the new dungeons. Besides, surely a gorgeous, modern remake of a universally loved classic *would* captivate new audiences. It worked for FF7, didn't it? Or is this just corporate speak for 'new IP makes more money and we've already squeezed this lemon dry for now'?
What would a curious gamer actually want to know? The 'why' behind the 'what.' Why isn't a guaranteed critical and commercial success like an FF9 remake a priority? It probably boils down to resources, risk assessment, and the ever-shifting landscape of the gaming industry. Developing games, especially big-budget JRPGs, is a colossal undertaking. Perhaps the tech isn't quite there to realise their vision for FF9, or maybe, just maybe, they want to space out their tentpole releases to avoid cannibalising their own market. Or perhaps they've got some truly wild new IP bubbling away that needs all hands on deck.
For now, it seems fans of Final Fantasy 9 will have to continue to conjure their own dreams of a fully modernised Gaia. 'On ice' isn't 'gone forever,' which is a silver lining as shiny as a freshly polished magic sword. It means the possibility, however distant, still flickers. Maybe one day, a truly powerful spell will break the ice, and we’ll see Zidane and his crew leap into glorious high definition. Until then, keep those fingers crossed and maybe, just maybe, cast a few hopeful 'Thaw' spells into the ether. You never know what might happen when you accidentally blow a hole through reality.
Original reporting by Fran Ruiz for Eurogamer.net.
Tags: Final Fantasy, FF9 Remake, Square Enix, Gaming Rumors, JRPG
Original article: Eurogamer