Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary Site Hints at Switch 2 Remake Reveal

The excitement surrounding the long-rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake has surged once again, following the launch of Square Enix's official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website. The site, presented in Japanese, commemorates the game's original release on July 7, 2000, and celebrates its milestone 25th anniversary this year. The website teases fans with a message about upcoming projects, stating, "We are preparing various projects, including merchandise and collaborations to commemorate the 25th anniversary, so please look forward to it!" This seemingly innocuous announcement, combined with the website's existence, has fueled speculation that Square Enix might soon unveil the much-anticipated Final Fantasy 9 remake.

The timing of the website's launch has not gone unnoticed by fans, especially with Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2-focused Direct scheduled for April 2. Some enthusiasts are hopeful that Square Enix will use this platform to announce the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2. While the website mentions merchandise and collaborations, the phrase "various projects" has certainly stirred excitement and speculation among the fanbase.

Adding to the buzz, last year, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida discussed the potential challenges of remaking Final Fantasy 9. He noted the game's extensive content, suggesting that a remake might not fit into a single title. Yoshi-P drew comparisons to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is being released as a trilogy, hinting that a similar approach might be necessary for Final Fantasy 9.

Earlier in 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector’s Edition and Digital Collector’s Edition of the Final Fantasy 14 expansion Dawntrail. These bonuses include the Ark summon from Final Fantasy 9 as a mount in Final Fantasy 14, a wind-up Princess Garnet minion, and for those who pre-ordered Dawntrail, a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, alongside these announcements, Yoshi-P playfully teased, "You may have noticed a lot of Final Fantasy 9 references here, but the reason is a secret,” before zipping his mouth shut, further fueling speculation.

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Final Fantasy 9 Bonuses

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Rumors about a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak, which listed several upcoming titles from Square Enix, including the yet-to-be-released Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics. The leak, confirmed as legitimate by Nvidia, also included games that Square Enix has since announced or released, such as the Chrono Cross remaster, Kingdom Hearts 4, and the Final Fantasy 7 remake for PC. Additionally, just months before the Nvidia leak, in June 2021, reports surfaced about a Final Fantasy 9 animated series in development, though no further updates have emerged since then.