It’s been almost two years since FF7 Remake launched on April 10th and changed every fan’s life forever. To see the characters brought to life from their polygonal versions was an important moment for anyone who played the 1997 version for hours. It was also a great throwback to the more humorous moments of the first five hours of the game.
However, the game only launched on the PlayStation 4. This means PC, Xbox, Nintendo, and other console users didn’t get to experience the story. Square Enix continued to show its favoritism by re-releasing the game for the PlayStation 5 along with some extra content. It was only after nearly two years that PC players got to play FF7 Remake through the Epic Games Store.
But does this mean we can expect to see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Xbox? Let’s take a look at some facts.
The initial reception of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake
The first trailer for FF7 Remake premiered at E3 2015. Although it wasn’t clear what was going on in the first few seconds, fans quickly realized which game was in question and went wild.
Of course, we couldn’t have expected anything else, as fans have been waiting for an FF7 remake and doing what they could to enhance the original game for a long time. The news only served to hype everyone up, even if it would be a while before we got to see it.
In the years leading up to the game’s release in 2020, Square Enix spared no resource to tease fans on several aspects of the game. Teaser trailers, gameplay trailers, the whole lot. It’s safe to say everyone had their hopes up.
The game’s release confirmed everyone’s expectations. Critics, as well as fans, praised FF7 Remake for its graphics, gameplay, and music, among other things. Of course, they also took note of the amazing combat system and the game’s faithfulness to the original’s events.
Watching the characters come to life with phenomenal voice acting and endearing characterization has probably been the best experience for fans who used to act it all out playing the PS1 version. It was a dream come true for every Final Fantasy 7 fan.
The response FF7 Remake received after its release gives us hope that we’ll see an Xbox port soon.
FF7 Remake Xbox: are we gonna see it?
As we mentioned before, not everyone got to see the game. Although PC players got to experience (and criticize) the game mid-December, there have been no announcements of the game coming out on the Xbox. Additionally, Square Enix has stated that they’d like to keep the franchise releasing for the PC and Sony’s consoles.
Considering you can buy and play the original Final Fantasy 7 on Xbox, it makes no sense as to why players shouldn’t be able to get a hold of the FF7 Remake and its DLC, Intermission. The Xbox can clearly handle it, provided the port isn’t as displeasing as it was for the PC.
There are also a good number of other Final Fantasy and Square Enix games available for purchase, and even as part of the Xbox game pass. So, why didn’t the game launch on Xbox?
Why didn’t Final Fantasy remakes launch on Xbox?
The biggest reason is PlayStation exclusivity. Even before its release, there were rumors that the FF7 Remake would only be launching on PlayStation 4. These rumors were further confirmed on the game’s packaging, stating it was a timed exclusive until April 10th, 2021.
Two months after the exclusivity period ended, Square Enix announced the PS5 port and the Yuffie DLC. The remake went under lock and key from other consoles for at least another 6 months. It’s safe to say the non-PlayStation fans weren’t too happy.
It seems like Sony really likes what Square Enix is putting out, though. Final Fantasy 16 and Forspoken received the same treatment.
After this additional exclusivity period ended, Epic Games decided it was their turn to hold the game and not let go. Although we know the PC port is also exclusive to this platform, there are only rumors as to how long this will last.
Even so, some data mines have assured Steam users that they will also get to enjoy Final Fantasy 7 Remake soon.
To sum up, it seems like Microsoft is just too slow to have their turn with FF7 Remake. Well, either that or they don’t really care for the game right now. Either way, it’s an uncertain future for Xbox Final Fantasy fans out there.
