Square Enix has revealed that the next entry in the name like FF7 Remake Part 2. The reason for this change is because the series is no longer remaking FF7, as FF7 Remake ended with the characters fighting manifestations of fate so that they could be free to go on a new journey. This raises the question of why Rebirth was chosen as the subtitle for the second game?
When Square Enix revealed the title of FF7 Rebirth, it also announced that the remake series will be told in a trilogy. This means that there will have to be a lot of changes going forward, as FF7 Remake only told an expanded version of the Midgar section of FF7. There is an absolute ton of content left to cover in FF7 and it's unlikely that two games will be enough to cover it all, especially if the developers are planning on adding new content, thanks to characters who are now alive in the new timeline, and the addition of content from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
FF7 Rebirth will follow some of the events from FF7, as the trailer showed the Kalm flashback sequence, as well as a glimpse of Aerith in the City of the Ancients. It's clear that FF7 Rebirth won't be a straight adaptation of the story of FF7, which is why the remake series has dropped the number. It's likely that the "rebirth" referred to in the title is referring to specific characters or concepts, thanks to the new direction that the story is going in.
Which Characters Are Being Reborn In FF7 Rebirth?
If the title is referring to a person, then the most obvious choice is Zack Fair. The ending of the INTERmission DLC for FF7 Remake Intergrade confirmed that Zack is now alive, either having been spared from his fate at the end of Crisis Core or being a new version of the character from a different timeline. The fact that Zack is now around in the FF7 Remake timeline means that he has the ability to influence events going forward, which could lead to a drastically different story. The other character who it could refer to is Aerith, as the trailer shows a moment from her iconic death scene in FF7. It's possible that Aerith will live and be spared her FF7 fate this time around, and this will have massive ramifications on the story, especially if Sephiroth manages to summon Meteor again. These two characters are being reborn, in the sense that they have a second chance at life.
The title could also refer to the fact that the FF7 Remake series as a whole is a rebirth of the original story, as it's no longer bound to the events of FF7. This new storyline gives everyone a chance to do something different, including the heroes and the villains. FF7 Remake made a point about how the cast was free from their original fate, so the next parts of the FF7 Remake series will have to go in a new direction. The story of Final Fantasy VII has been reborn and things will be different this time around.
