Final Fantasy Franchise Set to Break Free from PlayStation Timed Exclusivity

Square Enix and Sony Interactive Media have had a pretty tight business relationship, especially when it comes to the Final Fantasy franchise. We’ve seen several recent releases that were timed exclusives for the PS4 and PS5, which has definitely benefited PlayStation fans.

However, it looks like this partnership might be changing soon. In a recent interview with IGN Brazil during the Game Awards 2024, producer Yoshinori Kitase shared some interesting insights. He mentioned that while sales for the latest installment, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, have been decent, they didn’t quite hit the profit targets they were aiming for.

Kitase also pointed out that it’s becoming clear that modern games can’t just stick to one platform anymore. They need to reach as many players as possible.

Yoshinori Kitase isn’t the only one from the Final Fantasy VII Remake development team hinting at the possibility of the series making its way to other platforms. In a recent discussion with 4Gamer, a Japanese publication, Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, expressed that the team is eager to expand the series’ reach to as many fans as possible in 2025.

With the second installment set to launch on PC in just a month, it seems likely that Hamaguchi is also referring to other consoles, including the Xbox Series X and S, as well as the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2. If the leaked specifications are accurate, those systems should be capable of running both games, with some adjustments to graphics and performance.

If this strategy proves successful, we might never see upcoming Final Fantasy titles become timed exclusives on PlayStation again, with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth potentially being the last of its kind.