Naoki Hamaguchi On Bringing Final Fantasy Back To Nintendo
Overview & Key Takeaways
When Final Fantasy debuted in 1987, it did so on the Famicom (and later the NES in 1990), and Nintendo platforms would play host to the franchise all the way up until Final Fantasy VII. That pivotal entry was not only the series' transition to 3D graphics, but it also spelled the franchise's move to PlayStation as its primary platform. While some future entries would eventually arrive on other platforms, the mainline series has largely ignored Nintendo consoles outside of some side titles and spin-offs. Perhaps it's fitting, then, that a multi-part remake of the very game that signaled the shift away from Nintendo, Final Fantasy VII, is the very trilogy that is giving Nintendo fans more hope regarding the future of the franchise on its platform.
It all began earlier this year, as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, an upgraded version of the first part of the Remake Trilogy, arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 in January. Then, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, part two of the trilogy, came to Switch 2 earlier this very month. Finally, during the 2026 Summer Game Fest live show, Remake Trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to close out the show, announcing that Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final part, would arrive simultaneously across all major platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2, when it arrives in the first half of 2027.
For Naoki Hamaguchi, the return to Nintendo through a remake of the game that originally moved the franchise away to PlayStation in the first place is fitting. "I think it's definitely a meaningful moment for the franchise and for fans as a whole," he says. "I was definitely a PlayStation kid when I was growing up playing games, but at the same time, I was also fond of the Nintendo hardware as well. The original FF7 is a very iconic title that represents the transition from Nintendo to PlayStation, but bringing that back and going with the multiplatform launch on day one with this title is very meaningful to me. I know it means a lot for [original director Yoshinori] Kitase and [original artist and writer Tetsuya] Nomura, as well – people who actually grew up with the Nintendo platforms. But it means a lot to me to be the one who actually brings the Final Fantasy series back on Nintendo platforms again on day one as both a fan and developer. I think this a meaningful full-circle moment."
Interestingly enough, from Hamaguchi's perspective, Japanese fans are much less accepting of games going multiplatform. "One thing I do want to be mindful of is the cultural different between the Western fans and the Japanese fans," he says. "When you look at the Western fans, particularly the North American fans and European fans, they welcome the multiplatform approach with a more positive attitude. But when you look at the Japanese fans, they tend to have a little bit of a negative behavior towards it, and they post their stronger opinions online with that particular approach, so I do have to be mindful of the cultural difference there. But if we do continue to take this approach, launching multiplatform on day one, I think this approach would be accepted more globally."
For more on Final Fantasy VII Revelation, check out our conversation with Hamaguchi regarding the updates coming to Queen's Blood. For an in-depth look at the development of Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, read our full cover story right here for free.
When Final Fantasy debuted in 1987, it did so on the Famicom (and later the NES in 1990), and Nintendo platforms would play host to the franchise all the way up until Final Fantasy VII. That pivotal entry was not only the series' transition to 3D graphics, but it also spelled the franchise's move to PlayStation as its primary platform. While some future entries would eventually arrive on other platforms, the mainline series has largely ignored Nintendo consoles outside of some side titles and spin-offs. Perhaps it's fitting, then, that a multi-part remake of the very game that signaled the shift away from Nintendo, Final Fantasy VII, is the very trilogy that is giving Nintendo fans more hope regarding the future of the franchise on its platform.
It all began earlier this year, as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, an upgraded version of the first part of the Remake Trilogy, arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 in January. Then, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, part two of the trilogy, came to Switch 2 earlier this very month. Finally, during the 2026 Summer Game Fest live show, Remake Trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to close out the show, announcing that Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final part, would arrive simultaneously across all major platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2, when it arrives in the first half of 2027.
For Naoki Hamaguchi, the return to Nintendo through a remake of the game that originally moved the franchise away to PlayStation in the first place is fitting. "I think it's definitely a meaningful moment for the franchise and for fans as a whole," he says. "I was definitely a PlayStation kid when I was growing up playing games, but at the same time, I was also fond of the Nintendo hardware as well. The original FF7 is a very iconic title that represents the transition from Nintendo to PlayStation, but bringing that back and going with the multiplatform launch on day one with this title is very meaningful to me. I know it means a lot for [original director Yoshinori] Kitase and [original artist and writer Tetsuya] Nomura, as well – people who actually grew up with the Nintendo platforms. But it means a lot to me to be the one who actually brings the Final Fantasy series back on Nintendo platforms again on day one as both a fan and developer. I think this a meaningful full-circle moment."
Interestingly enough, from Hamaguchi's perspective, Japanese fans are much less accepting of games going multiplatform. "One thing I do want to be mindful of is the cultural different between the Western fans and the Japanese fans," he says. "When you look at the Western fans, particularly the North American fans and European fans, they welcome the multiplatform approach with a more positive attitude. But when you look at the Japanese fans, they tend to have a little bit of a negative behavior towards it, and they post their stronger opinions online with that particular approach, so I do have to be mindful of the cultural difference there. But if we do continue to take this approach, launching multiplatform on day one, I think this approach would be accepted more globally."
For more on Final Fantasy VII Revelation, check out our conversation with Hamaguchi regarding the updates coming to Queen's Blood. For an in-depth look at the development of Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, read our full cover story right here for free.
