We got a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Release Date, Gameplay, and more. Check out everything we learned about Square Enix’s upcoming title here.

The long wait is over. After its official reveal earlier this year, the second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy dubbed Final Fantasy VII Rebirth now has an official release date. On top of the date we also got more info on the next leg of Cloud’s journey. So here is a quick rundown of everything we’ve learned.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Release Date

FFVII Rebirth is scheduled to be released on February 29, 2024. That’s right, the game is being released on a leap-year date. This is not a coincidence considering the game we’re talking about. Right? This aligns with the announcement earlier this year that promised FFVII Rebirth would be released in early 2024.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Story Explained

The story of FFVII Rebirth continues onwards from the end of Final Fantasy VII Remake which covered the Midgar section of the PlayStation One original. But if you’ve played it you probably already noticed some of the changes that will carry on into Rebirth.

After escaping ShinRa, Cloud and his friends are on the hunt for Sephiroth who plans to bring the ‘Reunion’. Just like the FFVII Remake, expect Rebirth to enhance and expand on the original story beats while also bringing in elements from the expanded universe surrounding Final Fantasy VII.

According to blog posts made by the developers, Rebirth will cover the original game’s story up until the Forgotten City and the events that unfold there. Whether the story remains the same however is left to be seen since new elements, such as the reintroduction of Crisis Core protagonist Zack Fair might have unforeseen consequences.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Length

According to the developers, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be a staggering 100 hours long. While this most likely includes all the extra things available in the game, it confirms that Rebirth will progress at a similar pace to FFVII Remake.

The 2023 release and its later DLC Intermission not just retold but also expanded on the original story significantly. Just for reference, the Midgar section of the Remake was around 5-8 hours long in the 1997 version of the game. It made up around 10% of the total experience.

So far, the Remake project has been dedicated to giving Final Fantasy VII’s character and world enough space to breathe and unfold. Even if that meant some changes had to be made to justify those expansions.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Gameplay

As for the Gameplay of FFVII Rebirth, it seems to continue the formula established by FFVII Remake and its Intermission DLC. Characters can now team up for powerful team attacks just like in Intermission as well as a wider selection of material, abilities, and weapons. How the game will handle off-screen party members in combat is still left to be seen.

When it comes to exploration, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth looks to be bigger and better, just like the original after leaving Midgar. Gone are the long noodle hallways for the sake of breathtaking vistas and verticality.

In the trailer, we’ve already seen traversal by Chocobo as well as the iconic buggy which will make a return. Costa Del Sol and Junon have also been beefed up in scale and look like real cities not compared to the pre-rendered backgrounds from 1997. And Cloud can now ride Segway.

However, we do not expect the game to go full open world, expect something similar to Final Fantasy XVI, just bigger. We do hope that the game will fix the few flaws of the FFVII Remake, which were the bland sidequests and obscene amount of backtracking in its penultimate final act.

Do you need to play Final Fantasy VII Remake to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

Yes and no. If you haven’t played Final Fantasy VII Remake and dive right into Rebirth you’ll probably be lost. There will be a short introduction video at the start of Rebirth, recapping the events of the FFVII Remake but having a working knowledge of both the original as well as the Remake and Intermission is recommended.

If you’ve only played the original and or can’t be bothered to play the Remake you *should* be fine. But if you want the full experience, it’s recommended to dive into the Final Fantasy VII Compilation such as the recently released Crisis Core Reunion Remaster and other media.

Final Fantasy VII’s extended lore is quite frankly too much to cover for one human being, a visit to one or two of the fanwiki’s whenever you’re confused is nothing to be afraid of.

Do Final Fantasy VII Remake Saves Carry Over into Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

The short answer is no. Your save as well as your achievements in Final Fantasy VII Remake won’t affect your experience in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. But you’ll get at least a little reward for having played through both it and the DLC.

As long as you have a savefile of both the Final Fantasy VII Remake as well as Intermission on your PlayStation 5, you’ll gain access to two special summoning Materia Leviathan and Ramuh.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Platform

As of writing, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is only announced to be released on PlayStation 5. Square Enix has confirmed however that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will only be exclusive to the PlayStation 5 until May 29, 2024.

That doesn’t mean a PC version or an Xbox version will be released soon after. but since Final Fantasy XVI is getting a PC release soon, we at least know that Square Enix is thinking about it. For context, the PC version of the Remake was released almost 2 years after the PlayStation 4 release on the Epic Gamestore.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Editions

Now here is a quick rundown of all the versions of FFVII Rebirth, some of which are already up for preorder.

Physical

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Standard Edition

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Deluxe Edition

• Game
• Artbook
• Mini Soundtrack
• Steelbook

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Collectors Edition

• Deluxe Edition Content
• 19-inch stature of Sephiroth
• Moogle Trio-, Magic Pot Summoning Materia
• Reclaimant Choker, Orchid Bracelet and Midgar Bagel Mk. 2 Accessories

Digital

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Digital Standard Edition

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Digital Deluxe Edition

• Game
• Digital Soundtrack and Artbook
• Magic Pot Materia
• Reclaimant Choker and Orchid Bracelet Accessories

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE & REBIRTH Twin Pack

• Includes the FFVII Remake, Intermission, and Rebirth
• Buy one, get one free up until February 28, 2024

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe Twin Pack

• Includes the FFVII Remake, Intermission, and Rebirth
• Buy one, get one free up until February 28, 2024
• Digital Deluxe Edition Content

And that wraps up everything you need to know about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and its upcoming release. We’ll have more on the topic very soon here on ESTNN