Fans of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project can breathe a massive sigh of relief. Naoki Hamaguchi, the director steering the colossal trilogy to its conclusion, has not only squashed bizarre cancellation rumors but has also offered the most substantial hint yet at when we can expect the final chapter.
Amid a media tour, Hamaguchi has been openly discussing the status of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, its multi-platform future, and the unique technical challenges of bringing the modern epic to Nintendo's upcoming console.
"Absolutely Not Happening": Hamaguchi Denies Cancellation Rumors
The reassurance came from an unexpected place. During a panel at the MCM London Comic Con on October 24th, a fan directly asked Hamaguchi about online whispers suggesting the third and final part of the remake saga had been cancelled. The director's response, as reported by GamesRadar and captured on the Dashing David YouTube channel, was immediate and definitive.
“That is absolutely not happening, it is going ahead,” Hamaguchi stated, putting the fears to rest.
He went further to reassure attendees that development is not only proceeding but is in a highly active state. In a charmingly candid moment, he revealed that after the panel, his plans were to head “straight to my hotel room and back to checking some of the levels” his team had prepared. This hands-on approach underscores his deep involvement in the day-to-day creation of the game.
It was after this that he delivered the line that has set the fandom alight: promising that news on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 release date was “in the not too far future.”
A Multi-Platform Strategy and the Switch 2 Conundrum
While the final chapter is still on the horizon, Square Enix is meticulously planning its rollout across all major platforms. The strategy is clear: first, bring the existing titles to new audiences.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is confirmed to launch on Xbox Series X/S and the heavily rumored Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22nd, 2026. This will be followed by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on those same platforms later that year. This staggered approach ensures the trilogy's conclusion will debut simultaneously for all players when it's ready.
This ambitious multi-platform plan, however, comes with its own set of technical puzzles, especially concerning the Nintendo Switch 2. In a comprehensive and revealing interview with Video Games Chronicle, Hamaguchi detailed how his team is structured to tackle this.
He explained that development is split into specialized teams, each dedicated to a specific platform port. This allows for focused optimization, a skill that Hamaguchi, with his background as an engineer and programmer, is uniquely equipped to oversee.
“I was able to use my knowledge as an engineer and a programmer to solve a lot of these problems and come up with ideas on how we can overcome these challenges,” Hamaguchi told VGC.
He singled out lighting and shadow rendering as one of the most resource-intensive aspects of the Remake series. However, his technical expertise led to breakthroughs. He discovered methods to make rendering shadows and post-processing effects significantly more efficient on the Switch 2's hardware, without sacrificing the visual identity that defines the game.
You can read the full, in-depth discussion on his development philosophy in the exclusive VGC interview.
The director expressed confidence that the Switch 2 versions will offer "the highest possible framerates" while maintaining the games' stunning graphical fidelity. The true test for this optimized approach will undoubtedly be Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, with its vast, open-world areas that are a significant leap from the more corridor-focused Midgar of the first game.
For a closer look at the London Comic Con panel where he made these exciting announcements, you can watch the footage on the Dashing David YouTube channel. For more details on his "not too far future" comment, GamesRadar has a full breakdown of the event.
The message from Hamaguchi is clear: the journey to the Northern Cave is full steam ahead. With cancellation fears dispelled, a hint of a nearing release window, and a clear, technically-savvy plan for a multi-platform launch, the future for Cloud and his party looks brighter than ever.