Kitase: Final Fantasy VII remake would take “three or four times” longer than FFXIII

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

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They’ve been talking about Final Fantasy VII recently, haven’t they? Adding more fuel to the fire, Final Fantasy XIII producor Yoshinori Kitase has told TechDigest magazine that if Square Enix were to create a Final Fantasy VII remake, that it would take “three or four times longer” to make than Final Fantasy XIII did.

“If it were possible that we had all the right facilities and the right environment to be able to make and prepare a Final Fantasy VII remake within a year, we’d very much like a go at it!” Kitase told TechDigest, “But even Final Fantasy XIII has taken over three and a half years to create. If we were to recreate final Fantasy VII with the same level of graphical detail as you see in Final Fantasy XIII, we’d imagine that that would take as much as three or four times longer than the three and a half years it has taken to put this Final Fantasy together! So it’s looking pretty unrealistic! But if any such situation came about by any remote chance, then yes, we’d do it!”

As for now, chances are slim. Maybe one day, we’ll see the game realized for what it really should be.

In other Final Fantasies, Final Fantasy XIII releases for PS3 and Xbox 360 next month, March 9th.

Source: ScrawlFX

 

[DepecheMode]

I preached a lot about that in other FF forums and did state numerous possible reasons that it couldn't be done. See what most people don't take into consideration is the technological differences between the PSX vs. PS3. There's a lot more that goes with it then just simple "graphic enhancements." In fact it wouldn't even be that simple, they would have to redo the graphics of VII all together from scratch for the PS3 platform, which seeing how it was a non-linear game would take an enormous amount of time. Take for example another non-linear game like XII when it got made for PS2. The production for it got started back in 2001 and didn't have it done until 2006. Another big reason is the difficulty with the technology, the old methods vs. new methods, psx vs. ps3. The old way of developing a game would be like giving instructions to 1 person to do something. With PS3's new Cell Processor it's like giving instructions to 8 people to do something. Where the difficulty comes in is figuring out the best optimal methods to continually keep 8 people doing things and handling those results, when you've been used to just asking 1 person to do things and handling the results of that 1 person. It's like I said it's a unique scenario that would no doubt be one of the hardest developing achievements to be accomplished by any company. VII is to Sakaguchi like what The Terminator is to James Cameron, theses creators who take over after them keep making prequel after sequel with spin off after spin off with it seems like no end in sight. Even James Cameron said "The Terminator has ran its course for him" and kinda wanted to leave it at Terminator 2. I know the Terminator has been around longer than VII and I know Sakaguchi has long since left Square, but bottom line is... when will it be enough......? Sakaguchi never really had any intentions of sequels, prequels or remakes to the series, what you saw was what you got and nothing more. He did a great line of games for the series, why can't we just leave them as they are and keep moving on?

 

[Sir Kenneth]

I really can't see why it would take longer do to a remake of Final Fantasy VII than it would making Final Fantasy XIII. All the groundwork has already been done. There's a storyline, plenty of concept art, and the original game to go from. They also have the recent spin-off games and movie, which only goes to show that they already have put thought into how to translate FF VII's graphics into something more current.

 

[King Sean]

Maybe they could make it one of the final PS2 games instead? They could remake it for the PS2, as the system is dying. They could use it to leech off a good amount of money to fuel future projects and give fans a slight variation of what we want. Just a though

 

[DeadFantasy]

I really can't see why it would take longer do to a remake of Final Fantasy VII than it would making Final Fantasy XIII. All the groundwork has already been done. There's a storyline, plenty of concept art, and the original game to go from. They also have the recent spin-off games and movie, which only goes to show that they already have put thought into how to translate FF VII's graphics into something more current.

^^ That's whart im thinking I dunt quite get that either. I mean if everything is already planned out (storyline etc) then why would it take 3 or four more times then XIII? it just doesn't seem to fit but nonetheless, i'm glad that it's a slim chance that it will happen. I mean a remake just for the graphics'? I mean come on! if you dont own a PS you could also buy it on the PS3 and chances are if they do decide to remake it you'll needa PS3 anyways to play it. (if you dont own one)
so im confused.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I really can't see why it would take longer do to a remake of Final Fantasy VII than it would making Final Fantasy XIII. All the groundwork has already been done. There's a storyline, plenty of concept art, and the original game to go from. They also have the recent spin-off games and movie, which only goes to show that they already have put thought into how to translate FF VII's graphics into something more current.

This.
Whilst I'm glad they've made an excuse to stop themselves from doing it, it's a poor excuse. They've now had experience at handing current generation consoles so they wouldn't be going in clueless, plus like you've mentioned, the storyline and such like is already done. If they wanted to they could have it done within 2 years probably since FFXIII had 300 staff working on it.

 

[Fusionist]

A simpler answer would've been that they wanted to do remakes in order. FFV and then FFVI before FFVII. That's a perfectly legitimate reason for holding off on a FFVII remake and would actually please people too >_>

Then again, only Kitase said this, so maybe he just winged it with an explanation? xD

 

[Linnaete]

That has got to be the one of the most vague explanations I have ever seen. I knew it would take a long time for the team to remake the whole game primarily because of the required HD visuals - but I never imagined it would take as long as 3 or 4 times longer than FFXIII.

Are we supposed to believe that if they start remaking it now it may take up to a couple of decades to have it in the shops? I really don't. Not that I'm enthusiastic for a FFVII remake of course (it's better they don't bother), but I refuse to believe it can take that long. As it has been said - they're NOT starting from scratch! The foundations are there!

Even though the FFIII and FFIV remakes weren't done by SE, I agree with Fusionist. FFV and FFVI need to come first. I haven't played FFV before and FFVI is my personal favourite - so I'd love that.

 

[Gaige]

It's kind of a crappy excuse, and it seems the higher-ups just can't reach a decision. One minute it's that it won't happen. Next minute they'd love to see it remade, and now they're giving us a rough time for the game to be made. It's ridiculous, and they're playing with the emotions of the fanboys and fangirls. They'll explode! Unless it's like Fusionist said, ten-twelve years is just a ridiculous estimate. Will it happen, or will it not? Tell us. Now.Preferably before the fans start self-destructing in the streets.

 

[Linnaete]

If they want to do a remake without being weighed down by it and the other current projects they have, can't they assign an external company to do it? Let a foreign studio take care of it and supervise from Tokyo HQ! Unless there's some complicated issue I am not aware of though.

Additionally, I want to know how long it took them to make the PS3 FFVII tech demo that was revealed five years ago in E3.

 

[hidachi4]

The only way FF5 or FF6 remakes come first is if they are for portable systems. I'm not sure if they'd consider portables sufficient for those games. 5 probably, 6 I'm not sure. Certainly not 7 or any title after that.

Obviously the story has little to do with this exaggerating estimate. Maybe there's something we don't know about that makes the FF7 environment take a lot longer than FF13? I dunno, but it's time to stop worrying about all these "public statements."

 

[Rey]

Ok this rather meh... Seriously its gonna be at least 5 years before they release it. I mean Final Fantasy XV will almost be out by then. Its like gonna be good and meh at the SAME time. But I dont see why there is so much news on VII all the freaking time. I see other FFs as remakes. Im not believing they will do it just yet

 

[Totoro]

The only way FF5 or FF6 remakes come first is if they are for portable systems. I'm not sure if they'd consider portables sufficient for those games. 5 probably, 6 I'm not sure. Certainly not 7 or any title after that.

Obviously the story has little to do with this exaggerating estimate. Maybe there's something we don't know about that makes the FF7 environment take a lot longer than FF13? I dunno, but it's time to stop worrying about all these "public statements."

You can already get FFVII and VIII on the PSP via the online PlayStation Store, with IX probably likely to follow suit...

I think the reason why it would take so long is because it means they'd have to do it 'on the side' of their other projects. As it may not be that economically to take proper time off to put into a remake which many fans (me included) don't want.

 

[hidachi4]

There's a huge difference between releasing a PS game 12 years later on PSN (which you can then use to play on PSP or PS3) and actually releasing the game for the PSP.

Releasing games for the PSP means 1-2 million copies sold. Releasing them for a major console means 6-8+ million copies sold. Therefore a lot less time, effort and money will go into games for portable systems. So they aren't going to release a remake for a game like FF7, which sold nearly 10 million copies, for a portable system. Same goes for any of the 3D titles.

The DS remake FF4 made sense because there's a lot less copies out there and therefore a much lesser expectation (and a much easier game to remake, with less resources being ok.)