The excitement surrounding a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake has surged following Square Enix's launch of an official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website. This site, primarily in Japanese, commemorates the game's original release on July 7, 2000, and its upcoming 25th anniversary. The website teases "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations," fueling speculation among fans about the long-awaited remake.
The timing of the website's launch has not gone unnoticed, especially with Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2-focused Direct scheduled for April 2. Many fans are hopeful that Square Enix might seize the opportunity to announce the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2 during this event. However, the website's mention of merchandise and collaborations, rather than a direct reference to a remake, leaves room for speculation.
Last year, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida discussed the potential challenges of remaking Final Fantasy 9, highlighting the game's extensive content. He suggested that, like the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, a Final Fantasy 9 remake might need to be split into multiple titles to do justice to its volume.
Adding to the buzz, earlier in 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector’s Edition and Digital Collector’s Edition of the Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Dawntrail. These include the Ark summon as a mount and a wind-up Princess Garnet minion, with pre-orders also receiving a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, Yoshi-P hinted at the significance of these Final Fantasy 9 references but playfully kept the reason a "secret."
Rumors of a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak, which included a list of unannounced games from Square Enix. While some games on the list have since been announced or released, the Final Fantasy 9 remake remains unconfirmed. Additionally, a Final Fantasy 9 animated series was reported to be in development around the same time, though no further updates have been provided.
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As fans eagerly await any official announcement, the 25th anniversary celebrations continue to stoke the fires of anticipation for what could be one of the most significant remakes in the Final Fantasy series.
