Hamaguchi on FFVII Remake Trilogy’s Switch 2 Port  

Hamaguchi Confident in Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy on Switch 2

The director of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, Naoki Hamaguchi, has provided personal insight into the immense task of bringing the entire trilogy to the new Nintendo Switch 2 console. He expressed deep confidence in the quality of the port and shared his emotional connection to the franchise’s return to a Nintendo platform. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is scheduled to be released for the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S on January 22, 2026.

A Personal and Technical Mission

Hamaguchi’s commitment to the quality of the Switch 2 version is both personal and professional. He grew up on the series and brought his engineering background to the porting process.

• Emotional Connection: Hamaguchi stated that he was deeply moved by the sight of Final Fantasy VII running fluidly on the new Nintendo console. He said, “In some ways, I’ve been brought up by Final Fantasy and I’ve learned so much about it over the years.” His current focus is to give back to the series by ensuring its continued success.
• Engineering Advantage: Hamaguchi began his career as an engineer and programmer at Square Enix. This background gives him a strong technical understanding of development. He believes this is a key advantage in optimizing such a graphically demanding game for the Switch 2.
• Quality Assurance: Addressing fan concerns about multiplatform development, he assured players that the graphical experience will not be compromised for weaker platforms. He stated that the lighting had to remain the same. The development team specifically focused on optimizing the graphic pipeline to ensure a stable 30 frames per second (FPS), even in handheld mode.

The Challenge of Handheld Mode

The Switch 2’s unique hybrid design presented the biggest technical hurdle for Hamaguchi’s team during the porting process.

• Power Consumption: The difference between TV mode and handheld mode required careful optimization. The developers were mindful of the battery life and power consumption in the portable mode. They had to achieve stable performance without sacrificing visual fidelity.
• Optimization Focus: While the base version was ported to test performance, the team found that frame rates in handheld mode were initially below the desired level. They focused their efforts on areas like shadows and post-processing effects. They used optimization techniques, including potentially leveraging DLSS to upscale the resolution and maintain a beautiful experience.

The Trilogy’s Future and Progression

The entire Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is confirmed for the Switch 2. The developers are also introducing new features to make the massive RPG more accessible.

• Full Trilogy Confirmed: Square Enix has confirmed that not just Intergrade, but also Rebirth and the upcoming Part 3 will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2.
• Streamlined Progression: To lower the barrier to entry for new players, a Streamlined Progression feature is being added to the Switch 2 and Xbox versions. This feature allows players to speed through the story progression. This helps players catch up before the launch of the later games in the trilogy. This ensures that the time commitment of the large RPGs does not deter potential fans.

Hamaguchi believes the ability to bring the game to a much wider audience is a wonderful thing. He encourages players who are unsure about the quality of the Switch 2 port to try the demo that is planned for release at the end of the year.

 origin: Nintendo Life