Tetsuya Nomura, a central figure in the growth of the Final Fantasy series, recently shared a previously unseen complete artwork related to Final Fantasy VII, offering a glimpse into the original vision for the game’s battle system. This reveal coincides with the 29th anniversary of the original Final Fantasy VII release in 1997.
The Vision for Dynamic 3D Battles
The artwork depicts an early concept for battles intended to take place within fully 3D, dynamic urban environments. According to Nomura, the development team aimed to move away from the static battlefields of previous Final Fantasy titles. “contrary to previous Final fantasy titles, this one was intended to feature battles not on fixed battlefields, but within a moving, three-dimensional urban environment,” Gamekult reports Nomura explaining.
Though,the technical limitations of the original PlayStation (PS1) prevented the full realization of this ambition. The team prioritized creating a technically remarkable game within the constraints of the hardware, leading to the adoption of a more traditional battle system. Despite this, the core concept has now been brought to life in the Final Fantasy VII remake project.
Final Fantasy VII Remake: A Realization of Past Ambitions
The dynamic 3D battles originally envisioned for Final Fantasy VII are a key feature of Final Fantasy VII Remake, released in 2020. Nomura expressed his enthusiasm for the remake’s ability to finaly deliver on thes long-held creative goals. He hopes that the ongoing remake project will continue to bring previously impractical elements to fruition.
The Remake Project: A Three-Part Saga
Final Fantasy VII Remake is planned as a three-part series.The first installment was released in 2020, reimagining the Midgar section of the original game. IGN reports that the second part, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released on February 29, 2024, expanding the story beyond Midgar. development is currently underway on the third and final installment, with no official release date announced as of February 7, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Tetsuya Nomura shared a previously unseen artwork revealing early concepts for Final Fantasy VII‘s battle system.
- The original vision involved dynamic 3D battles within fully realized urban environments.
- Technical limitations of the PlayStation 1 prevented the full implementation of this vision at the time.
- Final Fantasy VII Remake successfully realized these ambitions, offering the dynamic battles originally intended.
- The remake project is a three-part series, with the final installment currently in development.
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