Square Enix has revealed if, and how, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will handle save file data from Remake.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi was asked if players would be able to port their save files over from Remake and continue using their character builds from that game.
“We have announced that the Final Fantasy VII remake project will be a trilogy and that each entry will be a standalone game in its own right,” Hamaguchi said. “Because of this, each game’s balancing is done independently and a player’s levels and abilities will not carry over from one game to the next. However, we have created some special bonuses for fans who played the previous game, allowing them to start with a little something extra.”
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So while Final Fantasy VII Rebirth won’t allow players to keep their character builds, those who have Remake save files will get a few special bonuses, which weren’t disclosed in the post.
My reaction to the news here is mixed. I spent a lot of time on my Final Fantasy VII Remake file and did pretty much everything I could do, so it’s a bit disappointing to know that I’m going to have to start from scratch when Rebirth rolls around. At the same time, I kind of suspected this would happen, because trying to balance a new game when the previous game was so expansive would be an absolute nightmare of a task, and I’d hate to have started Rebirth absurdly overpowered.
The news comes amid a slate of information about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth during September’s State of Play. Among other things, Square Enix confirmed approximately how long Rebirth will take to beat and complete and released a trailer for the game.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is slated for release on Feb. 29, 2024. A gorgeous collector’s edition of the game is available to pre-order for $350, and yes, it comes with a 19-inch tall statue of Sephiroth.