Final Fantasy VII Revelation Director Believes Players Are Growing Tired of Open-World Games
While the transition from Final Fantasy VII Remake to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth naturally aligned with the original game’s shift toward a more open style of exploration, Rebirth took things much further by delivering a massive open world packed with activities. Players could easily spend hours exploring the environment, gathering crafting materials, taking on mini-games, and completing optional content before advancing the main story.
With Final Fantasy VII Revelation set to feature even more locations and an even larger world, the development team is already thinking about how to keep exploration enjoyable.
In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, shared his thoughts on modern game design. He acknowledged that many players today are beginning to experience what is commonly referred to as “open-world fatigue.” Since Revelation will feature an even bigger map than Rebirth, Hamaguchi believes the challenge for the team is not simply making the world larger, but ensuring players continue to enjoy exploring it through engaging content and better guidance throughout the adventure.
Open-world fatigue has become a frequent topic of discussion in recent years. It isn’t simply about players becoming tired of spending dozens of hours searching for content. It also includes the overall gameplay experience, such as repeatedly traveling across enormous maps before fast travel, faster vehicles, or other movement options become available.
Ironically, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also received criticism for some of its navigation features. One common complaint centered on the highly visible yellow markings used to indicate climbing routes and traversal paths, with some players feeling they distracted from the game’s otherwise immersive world. It remains to be seen how Square Enix will address these concerns in Final Fantasy VII Revelation.
About Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Final Fantasy VII Revelation is the action RPG that concludes the story of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. Following the tragic loss of Aerith in Rebirth, Cloud and his companions join forces with Cid aboard the Highwind as they continue their pursuit of Sephiroth in a final attempt to stop the planet’s destruction before a massive meteor reaches the world.
The game will feature refined combat mechanics alongside large-scale gameplay sequences and more than three expansive open-world regions to explore.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC in Spring 2027 (March–May). A Steam store page is expected to become available in the future.
Source: Eurogamer
