Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, acknowledges that open-world fatigue is a genuine concern in the industry. According to an interview with Eurogamer, Final Fantasy VII Revelation will address this challenge with a carefully balanced approach.
Despite Revelation's world being even larger than Rebirth's (2024), Square Enix is prioritizing guidance systems to keep players oriented. "The world is even bigger than it was in Rebirth, so it is more important than ever for us to ensure there's enough guidance here, so people have no issues enjoying what this game has to offer," Hamaguchi explained.
Rebirth faced criticism for its expansive open world. Hamaguchi acknowledges this feedback and recognizes the prevalence of open-world fatigue across the industry. "There are a lot of open world games out in the world right now, and [the idea of 'open world fatigue'] is a very important concept to me," he added.
The strategy reflects Square Enix's effort to learn from Rebirth's reception, maintaining the series' ambitious scale while improving the player experience. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is the third and apparently final chapter in the remake trilogy.
