Summary

  • Final Fantasy 9 fans may have a remake to look forward to, as hinted by Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida.
  • Final Fantasy XIV has a history of crossovers, so it's possible that the reference could be to content in the MMO, not a remake.
  • Final Fantasy 9's popularity lies in its graphics, characters, and nostalgic appeal, making it a beloved entry in the series.

As Final Fantasy 9 fans wait patiently for some kind of update regarding the long-rumored remake, Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida may have just let the cat out of the bag. Widely revered as one of the best entries in the sprawling series, the success of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy spurred hopes that Square Enix would treat the cult classic to a similar makeover. While nothing's been confirmed just yet, recent comments from one of the franchise's most prominent leaders suggest the community may soon receive some exciting news.

Per IGN, Yoshida announced at PAX East that the Collectors Editions of the Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy XIV would include some extra items themed around Final Fantasy 9, prompting the director to elaborate that the reason behind all the references was a secret. After stating this, he reportedly "zipped" his mouth shut, leading to speculation that he's speaking about a remake of the PlayStation One game. Yoshida has shared no further updates on the Final Fantasy 9 bonus items but it's worth noting that this isn't the first time Final Fantasy XIV has pulled a stunt like this.

A close-up on Clive's face in Final Fantasy 16 on the left, with Final Fantasy 9's Dagger, Zidane, and Vivi to the right.
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Final Fantasy XIV Has A History Of Crossovers

Vivi jumping in joy in final fantasy 9.

It's entirely possible that Yoshida is dropping hints that the Final Fantasy 9 remake is closer than expected but Final Fantasy XIV has previously hosted events themed around older games in the franchise. The critically acclaimed Endwalker expansion included plenty of content pulled from both Final Fantasy 4 and Final Fantasy 5, and neither of those games has received a ground-up remake aside from the Pixel Remaster Collection. Older expansions of the MMO also feature plenty of references to Final Fantasy 6 and the more recent Final Fantasy 12​​​​​.

Whether or not Final Fantasy 9 Remake is lined up to release soon, the community will just have to wait for some kind of official announcement. Given that Square Enix is still working on new version of Final Fantasy 9.

Final Fantasy 9's artwork, featuring the following characters from left to right: Garnet, Vivi, Steiner, Zidane, and Amarant.

While Final Fantasy 9 may not be as popular in the mainstream as the seventh entry in the franchise, it's widely regarded by fans of the JRPG genre as what the series should be. The game has received plenty of praise for its graphics, which were significantly ahead of their time in 2000, and characters with the community hailing it as having one of, if not the, best cast in the series. It also serves as a nostalgic throwback to some of the older games, evoking the gameplay and principles that made Final Fantasy so popular around the world.

Source: IGN

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Final Fantasy 9
JRPG
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

Platform(s)
PS4, PC