Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Fought for Full Disc Release

Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, stated he "did his best" to champion a full physical disc release for the game, acknowledging the industry's move towards digital formats.

Hamaguchi shared his personal connection to physical games, recalling childhood purchases and the practice of having colleagues sign their game copies. "Personally, obviously, I bought lots of physical editions of games as a child. Sometimes I buy digital editions of games, but if I'm particularly attached to a title, I want to get the physical version," he explained, noting the topic has become "particularly sensitive" recently.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will offer a disc version upon its 2027 launch. However, PS5 and Xbox Series X players inserting a physical copy will still need to download a significant portion of the game to play it fully.

Hamaguchi recognized that the included disc serves as a "key disc" containing only the game's opening. He understands the sentiment of fans who declare "no disc, no purchase."

"As the director, it's my responsibility to look after the content of the game to make sure it's fun, really exciting," Hamaguchi stated. "The product line-up, the SKUs, how it's going on sale - that is the responsibility of the publishing team. So my authority there is somewhat limited."

Despite these limitations, Hamaguchi confirmed he used his position to argue for a physical version "as much as possible." This led to negotiations with both internal teams and platform holders, ultimately resulting in the one-disc approach for the game.

"I completely understand there are those out there who may not really agree with that direction," he commented. "But I would just say that I hope you understand that I completely see where you're coming from, and that I did my best. It is a very tricky subject."

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on April 8, 2027. Hamaguchi anticipates that "physical media will remain in some form going forward," citing the continued strength of PC digital sales. However, he envisions a near future where physical media becomes "disc-less," essentially a code on paper within the box.

Sony announced on July 1st that it will stop producing discs for PlayStation games starting January 2028. After this date, PlayStation games will be exclusively digital. Notably, these games will still be sold at retail, but without a physical disc.

While Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Platinum trophy was intentionally "difficult" to obtain, the sequel's Platinum trophy for Revelation will be "easier to get."