Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Director Speaks Out Against the End of Physical Games
Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Revelation, has spoken out against the potential demise of physical games. At the start of July, PlayStation made the controversial announcement that it would be doing away with physical games for its platforms beginning in January 2028. This news ended up being received very poorly by millions, as PlayStation’s decision to go all-digital paves the way for physical games as a whole to eventually cease production. Now, Hamaguchi has spoken up about this move and has made it known that he doesn’t want to see an all-digital future himself.
Speaking to Ashif’s Release Notes, Hamaguchi said that he adores physical versions of games and doesn’t want to see them go away. Specifically, he noted that he appreciates being able to sign physical copies of games that fans bring to him at various events. Still, Hamaguchi added that he doesn’t think boxed copies of video games will end up going away entirely in the years to come, as they might simply begin being sold in a different fashion.
“In terms of my thoughts on physical editions, as a gamer myself, I love them,” Hamaguchi said. “It would be a real shame for that culture to disappear. I think physical games will still be sold in some form in the future, for example as a download code in a box. Moreover, I want physical games to continue — both as a creator and a game fan.”
While it’s great to hear that someone on the development side of the gaming industry isn’t happy about recent decisions that have been made, Hamaguchi ultimately doesn’t have any say in what companies like PlayStation do. In fact, Hamaguchi himself couldn’t even confirm that Final Fantasy VII Revelation will be released in a physical capacity upon its release in early 2027. Although it undoubtedly will, the fact that Hamaguchi couldn’t verify as much essentially proves that he has no control over what gaming publishers end up doing.
Still, Hamaguchi’s voice does carry weight, and when joined with countless others that have been speaking out against PlayStation’s choice to get rid of physical games, it applies further pressure on the company to reverse course. Currently, though, PlayStation hasn’t shown any indication that it will look to go back on its plan, and recently even doubled down on the matter.
As for Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the final installment in Square Enix’s popular trilogy is set to drop in the first half of 2027. Unlike past releases, Revelation won’t be exclusive to PlayStation hardware when it drops and will instead come to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
[H/T IGN]