Final Fantasy 7 Remake remains one of the most anticipated games of the next few years and it will be the ultimate blast to the past. The question remains, though: What platforms will the game come to? The PlayStation 4 is a given, but beyond that, it’s a mystery. But recent news that Square Enix is going to focus on the Nintendo Switch more than the Xbox Scorpio is very promising for Nintendo fans, and a turnabout from previous developments. Could we, at long last, get Final Fantasy 7 on a Nintendo system? It’s looking more possible than ever.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Switch? Never Say Never
Square Enix has said some very exciting things about the Nintendo Switch lately. First off, the company announced that—beyond the PS4—it’s focusing its development efforts on the Nintendo Switch rather than the Xbox Scorpio. The company is actively looking at ports and other games to bring to the system, which is selling very well so far, especially in Japan. The company has also teased other new projects in development for the system.
Square Enix’s effort is going to start small—or at least with smaller games. The company is releasing at least five games for the Nintendo Switch this year, but they’re all ports, remakes or minor series. In short, no Final Fantasy XV ports are coming to the Nintendo Switch just yet. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is years away, and final decisions about platforms for that game clearly have not been made yet.
But Square Enix is very clearly testing the waters here with the Nintendo Switch. The company wants the platform to succeed and it wants its games to succeed on it. Historically, even for very successful Nintendo consoles like the Wii, third-party games have tended to underperform expectations—often because they came years late, or in dumbed-down form. That’s why Square Enix needs to give things a try more carefully first, with small but new and exciting ports.
And if those games do really well? If the Nintendo Switch continues to sell like gangbusters? The system’s relatively low power won’t make a difference if it builds up a huge install base. It’s roughly the same strength as the PlayStation 4, perhaps a little weaker, and it is sure to be optimized by developers over time. If the PS4 can handle Final Fantasy 7 Remake, so can the Nintendo Switch. So cross your fingers and buy those Square Enix games—if enough of us do, we may just get the Holy Grail of gaming on a Nintendo console at long last.
