Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Naoki Hamaguchi said he did his best to fight for a disc release as the industry heads toward a “future where physical media is essentially disc-less.”
The lead developer in charge of next year’s new remake chapter opened up about the state of gaming during an interview with Radio Times. It’s a topic he’s touched on before, but this time, he explained how his own appreciation for physical media led him to push for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation to get at least one disc as the industry speeds toward an all-digital future.
“Personally, obviously, I bought lots of physical editions of games as a child. Sometimes I buy digital editions of games, but if I’m particularly attached to a title, I want to get the physical version,” Hamaguchi said, noting how the topic of a fully digital future has become “particularly sensitive” in recent months. “And you know, being in the industry, sometimes I want to get my friends or acquaintances who’ve worked on something to sign a copy of their own game.”
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is confirmed to have a disc option when it launches in 2027, but there are some caveats. When physical owners on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, for example, pop their discs in, they should know the full experience will require an additional download – and a hefty one at that. It’s a decision that has some fans split, but not one Hamaguchi and the team at Square Enix took lightly.
“I do really like and appreciate physical media,” he said. “I see a lot of people on social media saying, ‘No disc, no purchase,’ and I understand where they’re coming from.”
Hamaguchi acknowledged that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation does have a disc alternative for those who want it, even if it’s just a “key disc” that only has “the opening.” He added that he understands that “there are people out there with a lot of opinions” about the future of physical media and shared a message to those who feel most passionately about the issue.
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