While many Final Fantasy enthusiasts are either enjoying XIV’s new raid series or looking forward to the 3rd installment in the VII Remake trilogy, others are eagerly awaiting more information on the long-rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake. Where many other titles in the series focus on sci-fi/fantasy hybrid stories, Final Fantasy 9 keeps things old school, with its focus on a classic fantasy tale involving secret princesses, tyrannical empires, swords, and plenty of sorcery — and, of course, classic Final Fantasy twists, turns, and quirks. So, what would a modern take on this fan-favorite entry look like? As a result of some credible insider information, we might have an idea.
Final Fantasy 9 Remake Confirmed?
Thanks to a combination of behind-the-scenes leaks and industry rumors from reliable spillers, the general consensus is that the Final Fantasy 9 remake is inevitable. For instance, a previous Nvidia leak seemed to confirm the existence of a Final Fantasy 9 remake. Back in 2021, a hacker forced their way into Nvidia’s GeForce Now database and uncovered myriad yet-to-be-released games, including a proposed FF9 remake. Other titles on the list have already been released, including Helldivers 2, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1.
Beyond that, respected games journalist Jeff Grubb doubled down in 2023, stating that the mention of a Final Fantasy 9 remake in the Nvidia leak “wasn’t a mistake.” During a taped segment for Giant Bomb, Grubb mentioned that he’d heard tell of the remake again recently. Earlier in 2024, reliable leaker Midori echoed Grubb’s sentiments, further elaborating that, while the Final Fantasy 9 remake was in the works, the also-rumored Final Fantasy X remake was just that: a rumor.
Lastly, Square Enix itself may be pointing toward the remake’s existence. The latest Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Dawntrail, featured several references toward a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake. For starters, one of the pre-order benefits was the Wind-Up Zidane minion. Players who purchased the game’s Digital Deluxe Edition also received a Wind-Up Garnet minion. Beyond that, one of the critical locations mentioned in Dawntrail is Alexandria, a prominent location in the original Final Fantasy 9. Keen-eyed players can also spot smaller nods to 9 throughout Dawntrail, including the presence of the Gimme Cat enemy as branding on popcorn buckets.
A Smaller Scope
A common refrain from gamers following the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was that, perhaps, the game suffered from being too much of a good thing. With a more open world than Remake, a greater emphasis on side content, and what some players described as a “Ubisoft approach” to extra activities, going for every trophy in Rebirth can take hundreds of hours. As such, it’s highly unlikely that the Final Fantasy 9 remake will follow in Remake’s footsteps.
Current rumors hint that any Final Fantasy 9 remake will have a reduced scope and won’t be a complete overhaul of the original game. Alongside Midori confirming the remake’s existence, the leaker also claims that Square Enix wants to keep the game more faithful to the original than the FF7 Remake trilogy. Whether that means the game will be more like one of the series’ HD remasters or it’ll receive a complete graphical overhaul remains to be seen. Another thing that has fans curious is whether or not a Final Fantasy 9 remake would adhere to the original’s turn-based style, or attempt to take a more action RPG-oriented approach.
