While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has proven that there is still interest in turn-based RPGs in the wider gaming world, Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi doesn’t think it will have a larger impact on Square Enix’s strategies when it comes to the Final Fantasy franchise. In an interview with The Gamer, Hamaguchi was asked about the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and whether it might lead to Square Enix bringing Final Fantasy back to its turn-based roots.
“That’s an interesting question,” Hamaguchi said in response to the question. “As you mentioned, FF7 Remake and FF16 are both action-based RPG designs. Essentially for the Final Fantasy numbered series, the game design is based on the director’s decision himself. For the new title, whether it’s action or turn-based, that’s not pre-determined yet.”
“If you would ask me, is [my next game] going to be an RPG, yes, there is definitely a possibility. But is it going to be a turn-based RPG? We’re taking this aside from the fact that Expedition 33 was received well, we received a lot of ‘JRPGs are back’ comments. For me, I’m thinking about what game experience fans will enjoy. That’s the most important point.”
Ultimately, for Hamaguchi, the question isn’t whether his next game will be turn-based or real-time and action-based. Rather, in his mind, “it can go either way,” and the more important thing about making the game is to figure out what fans would like to see from the title.
Hamaguchi had previously spoken about the third part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, including the fact that the 1997 original was split into three games for the remake because the developers didn’t want to cut anything out of the game.
“Final Fantasy 7 is a game with a truly huge fanbase,” said Hamaguchi on stage. “We could have cut some parts and turned it into one game, but the fans of the original would never have forgiven us. If we want to tell this story using new technology, it’s not possible to do so in a single title. That’s why we made the difficult decision to split it into three parts.”
He also said that the ending to the trilogy will be satisfactory for new fans that only started with the Remake trilogy, as well as long-time fans of the original Final Fantasy 7. Ultimately, Hamaguchi believes that the completion of the trilogy “will be loved by everyone.”
“Of course, I already have a clear idea of the ending for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3,” he said. “I think this conclusion will appeal to both those who loved the original and those who became fans of Final Fantasy 7 thanks to the Remake series. I’m confident this new game will be loved by everyone.”
In the meantime, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is making its way to Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22, 2026, Along with this, Square Enix has also said that it will be bringing all games of the Remake trilogy on all platforms.
It’s interesting to see how different directors approach the turn-based system in RPGs. The ongoing interest in turn-based gameplay, as highlighted by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, shows that there’s still a place for traditional mechanics in modern gaming. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves!
Absolutely, the varying perspectives on turn-based systems really highlight the diversity within the genre. It’s also fascinating how games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 can reignite interest in traditional mechanics, proving that there’s still a strong audience for classic gameplay styles.
gaming community. It’s fascinating how different directors can shape the experience based on their vision. I think it’s also worth noting that turn-based mechanics allow for strategic depth, which can be a refreshing change from real-time combat in many modern games.