Final Fantasy VII Rebirth marks a significant milestone in the remake series: it will be the first title in the franchise to launch on multiple platforms simultaneously on day one. Both Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth were initially PlayStation exclusives, only arriving on PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch years later. In contrast, Rebirth will be available to players across all platforms from its release date. Director Naoki Hamaguchi stated that this strategic shift is entirely in line with the current state of the gaming industry.
Naoki Hamaguchi explained in issue 429 of Edge magazine that the multi-platform release is "an inevitable result of changes in the environment players currently face." Today's players are "no longer bound to a single hardware device" and can enjoy games across various devices, including TVs, home consoles, and handhelds.
"I believe that the core of future AAA game development lies not in how high-performance an environment we can create," said Naoki Hamaguchi, "but in how broadly we can deliver a consistent core experience to players on different devices." In other words, the current focus for game developers is ensuring their games are compatible across all tiers of platforms—from high-end PCs to entry-level handhelds.
Square Enix announced back in 2024 that it would "aggressively pursue" a multi-platform strategy. The publisher has never truly been tied to a single platform, although its switch between Nintendo and Sony in the 1990s remains a legendary tale in the gaming industry. In recent years, nearly all of its titles have launched on major mainstream platforms—a clear benefit for all players, except perhaps the most die-hard fans of specific platform camps.