Summary

  • The FF9 remake is believed to be in development by Square Enix, not outsourced, showing a commitment to quality over quick cash grabs.
  • Rumors suggest an FF9 remake reveal at Xbox Showcase, potentially leading to a release by Spring 2025.
  • Despite being unconfirmed, the possibility of an FF9 remake has fans excited about the future of the beloved game series.

The long-awaited remake of FFXIV's director also seemingly referenced an FF9 remake.

So, evidence of an FF9 remake is mounting, and the latest rumors seem only to confirm what Final Fantasy fans have suspected for the last few years. What's surprising, though, is that the latest information suggests not only that the FF9 remake's announcement is imminent - its release date might not be far behind, either. Here's everything to know about the latest information about the potential FF9 remake.

Final Fantasy 16 and 9 protagonists Clive and Zidane between two Eikons from FF16.
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FF9 Remake Is Being Developed By Square Enix Directly

FF9 Remake Could Be Revealed At The Xbox Showcase

According to a Tweet by @MbKKssTBhz5, the FF9 remake is currently being developed in-house by Square Enix. The FF9 remake was originally rumored to have been under development by an outside studio. But according to the most recent information, Square Enix was unhappy with its progress and brought the remake project back under its own umbrella. That suggests the FF9 remake isn't just a work of shovelware, ground out to make a quick buck on brand recognition and nostalgia. Its quality is clearly under careful scrutiny, and the devs are genuinely trying to make a good product.

This also debunks suspicions that the FF9 remake was one of many games recently canceled by Square Enix after its financial results for the last fiscal year failed to meet internal expectations. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise: its HD games sector, which includes such releases as Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, was one of the few areas of its business in which Square Enix reported growth last year. A proper FF9 remake would slot right into that successful sector, and bring fans of an entirely different era in Final Fantasy history into Square Enix's recent release fold.

@MbKKssTBhz5 also suggests the FF9 remake is a little simpler than FF7R, perhaps closer in style to Square's Trials of Mana remake.

FF9 Remake Could Be Released By Spring 2025

FF9 May Be Revealed At The Xbox Showcase

Xbox Games Showcase 2023, a large Xbox logo with green and blue lights

Further Tweets by @MbKKssTBhz5 suggest that the FF9 remake may be so far along in development that it's ready for an official reveal - perhaps during Square Enix's presentation at the Xbox Showcase on June 9, 2024. It's believed that Square Enix will be revealing several new titles for Xbox consoles during this event, part of Summer Game Fest weekend. An FF9 remake could be among those titles, and, if it's as far along in development as @MbKKssTBhz5 seems to think it is, it could be released within Square Enix's current fiscal year.

Square Enix's fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025, so if the rumor is true, the FF9 remake could be released within a year.

These are all unconfirmed rumors, and even @MbKKssTBhz5 reminds players not to get their hopes up for an FF9 remake reveal at the Xbox Showcase. Still, it looks like good news for the future of the Final Fantasy 9 remake - only time will tell whether any of this information is true.

Source: @MbKKssTBhz5/X (formerly Twitter)

Final Fantasy 9
JRPG
Systems
phone transparent PC-1
10.0/10
Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 81%
Released
July 7, 2000
ESRB
T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
Developer(s)
Square Enix
Publisher(s)
Square Enix
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Franchise
Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy IX is the ninth entry in the long-running RPG franchise from Square. Players take on the role of Zidane Tribal, a swashbuckling thief who flies with the traveling musical troupe/bandit band Tantalus. When the crew's plan to kidnap Princess goes awry, and she runs away with them instead, Zidane and Garnet will meet new faces as they journey and prepare to face off with her mother, the war-mongering Queen Brahne.

Platform(s)
PS4, PC