Square Enix Looks Past FF7 Remake Saga: Next Final Fantasy Project Teased
Square Enix is looking ahead to what comes after its Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation set to arrive in a Spring 2027 launch window. With that roadmap effectively marking the end of the remake saga’s current arc, the company has left the door open for its next big Final Fantasy project—and it sounds like fans may get something closer to the series’ classic structure.
At a recent shareholders meeting, Square Enix said it would be open to more traditional turn-based remakes of older entries if that’s what players want. Whenever a new mainline Final Fantasy game lands, there will always be debate about which title deserves attention first. Still, one candidate has remained a long-running favorite on wish lists for years, and rumors have been floating around for nearly five years: Final Fantasy 9, the beloved 2000 PS1 RPG that many players consider one of the purest expressions of what Final Fantasy should be.
There’s also a timing angle here: Final Fantasy 15 turns 10, and 2026 is being framed by many as a potentially good moment to revisit that messy road-trip era—though that’s separate from the broader remake question now taking center stage.
Why FF9 Fits Square Enix’s “Traditional Remake” Direction
If the conversation is specifically about classic games that suit a traditional turn-based remake, Final Fantasy 9 stands out immediately for one big reason: it was already designed as a deliberate return to the franchise’s older identity. After FF6, Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 8 pushed the series toward a more sci-fi, modern-feeling formula, pulling the spotlight away from the “fantasy” tone many players associate with the earlier era.
Square Enix later leaned hard back into the roots philosophy with Final Fantasy 9. Even at the time of its 2000 release, it was positioned as a “return to roots,” and it was treated as the right way to close out the run of single-digit numbered games.
That matters now because Square Enix is already moving through the Final Fantasy 7 Remake approach, even with its proven success. A lot of players feel that trilogy’s modernization changed the balance of what they loved. In that context, a faithful FF9 remake would let Square Enix update one of the series’ most adored classics without asking long-time fans to accept the same kind of compromises that come with reimagining a different entry’s identity.
Final Fantasy 9 also sits in a “sweet spot” timeline-wise. It comes after the series’ more traditional foundations but before Final Fantasy 10 shifted expectations in a lasting way. Final Fantasy 6 deserves remake attention too, but choosing how to build it—whether going fully 3D, using HD-2D, or preserving more of its original look—creates a bigger creative and philosophical debate. Final Fantasy 8 raises its own issues, particularly because systems like Junction and level scaling are divisive, and a remake that leans into them could reopen the same arguments. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 10 still looks and plays well enough in terms of structure and presentation that a full remake doesn’t feel necessary yet; anything after that point likely falls into the same category, aside from remasters being reasonable.
Rumors Around an FF9 Remake Have Been Around for Years
There’s also the rumor history keeping Final Fantasy 9 at the top of many lists. As of the time of writing, those reports have been circulating for almost five years. A leak involving an Nvidia GeForce Now database dated September 13, 2021 included Final Fantasy 9 Remake alongside multiple other projects that had not been announced at the time.
Since then, fans have been waiting for Square Enix to confirm whether Final Fantasy 9 was actually in development. However, given Square Enix’s statement that it could pursue more traditional turn-based remakes once the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy wraps up, those long-running rumors feel even less likely to be dismissed out of hand.
That’s part of why FF9 remains the most straightforward next choice: the rumor conversation has already been running for years, and an official announcement would provide the clearest payoff. It would also let Square Enix address nearly five years of speculation with the kind of remake many players say they want—rather than another modern reinterpretation that could spark fresh rounds of controversy similar to the ones tied to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy.
If Not FF9, Then What? The Case for FF6—And Why Later Entries Stall
Final Fantasy 6 is the main alternative that could complicate the discussion. Many players still argue it’s the best Final Fantasy game ever made, and some even place it above Final Fantasy 7. That reputation makes it feel surprising that FF7 is the title Square Enix chose to remake first on such a massive scale. Still, the decision is understandable: Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most widely recognized RPGs ever made and is arguably the most marketable entry in the franchise.
Even with that, FF6 tends to sit there as another “obvious” giant that hasn’t been revisited in the same way yet. The key difference is that a FF6 remake would involve a tougher creative question than Final Fantasy 9. Since FF6 is a landmark 2D RPG, deciding whether to rebuild it as full 3D, adapt it into an HD-2D style, or keep more of its original presentation would likely split players before the remake ever had a chance to prove itself.
FF6 absolutely deserves the remake treatment someday, especially because many fans still rank it highly. But Final Fantasy 9 feels like the cleaner next move right now because its PS1-era presentation gives Square Enix clearer opportunities to modernize while still preserving what the game is “supposed” to look like in the eyes of its fans.
By comparison, entries from Final Fantasy 10 onward don’t really need the same attention yet, even if remasters remain fair territory. Final Fantasy 10 was the point where the series fully embraced voice acting, more cinematic storytelling, and a presentation style that still feels close enough to modern Final Fantasy that a full remake would be difficult to justify. Unless Square Enix waits another console generation or two, remaking titles from FF10 onward would feel like revisiting games that are still new enough to stand on their own with the right remaster.
So yes—Square Enix will have multiple strong options after Final Fantasy 7 Revelation brings the Remake trilogy to a close. Still, Final Fantasy 9 appears to be the most sensible choice, partly because it already has years of rumor momentum, built-in fan demand, and a legacy rooted in keeping the franchise’s older identity intact. If Square Enix truly is willing to deliver more traditional remakes after FF7’s large-scale reinvention, then Final Fantasy 9 is the option that makes the most sense by a wide margin.
