The excitement surrounding the long-awaited Final Fantasy 9 remake has been reignited with the launch of an official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website by Square Enix. The site, which is in Japanese, commemorates the game's release on July 7, 2000, and its upcoming 25th anniversary. The website teases fans with the promise of "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations" to celebrate this milestone, fueling speculation about the potential announcement of the much-anticipated 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. This has led some fans to speculate that Square Enix might unveil the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2 during the event. While the website's mention of merchandise and collaborations might seem innocuous, the phrase "various projects" has sparked considerable excitement and speculation among the fanbase.
Last year, Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida, the producer of Final Fantasy 14, discussed the challenges of remaking Final Fantasy 9. He highlighted the game's extensive content, suggesting that a remake might not fit into a single title. Yoshi-P hinted that it could follow the model of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is being released as a trilogy. This statement has added to the anticipation and curiosity about how Square Enix might approach the remake.
In early 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed bonuses 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 offering a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, Yoshi-P playfully hinted at the significance of these Final Fantasy 9 references, further stoking the fires of speculation.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Final Fantasy 9 Bonuses
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Rumors of a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak, which included a list of unannounced games. While Nvidia confirmed the leak's authenticity, the list might be outdated. Several games on the list, such as the Chrono Cross remaster, Kingdom Hearts 4, and the Final Fantasy 7 remake for PC, have since been announced or released. However, the Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics remain unconfirmed. Additionally, a Final Fantasy 9 animated series was reported to be in development in June 2021, but no further updates have been provided since then.
