Final Fantasy 7 fans have been waiting decades to see the classic JRPG remade for modern platforms, and now they are just a few days away from playing the game. In preparation for this Friday's worldwide PS4 launch, though, Final Fantasy 7 Remake has activated preloading, so players can ensure their consoles are ready to go as soon as the game unlocks.
There had been a lot of questions over the last few days about Final Fantasy 7 Remake preloading, and Square Enix has finally confirmed that the feature is now available.
Under normal circumstances, preloading for a highly anticipated game might not be as exciting, but gamers are obviously not living under normal circumstances. There is a lot going on both in the world and around Final Fantasy 7 Remake that makes this announcement worth highlighting.
First and foremost, there are concerns about the availability of reliable and fast internet during the current crisis. Some countries have been urged to limit internet speeds in an effort to ensure that those working from home or who rely on the internet to provide essential services can have access. So being able to ensure that everything goes smoothly with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake download without interruptions is important. The earlier that players can get the file downloading, the better.
The file itself is not insignificant either – totaling about 85 Gbs when all is said and done. While the original Final Fantasy 7 could easily fit on a basic thumb drive from today, this reimagined version requires two Blu-Ray discs. It's a hefty download that depending on a person's internet speeds might take a while to download, and that's why the preloading option is so beneficial.
And, of course, there is the elephant in the room. Those that purchased Final Fantasy 7 Remake digitally are forced to watch their fellow fans play the game early. Either because retailers wanted to ensure the game arrived before its street date or simply by mistake, many copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake are already in the wild and plenty of already finished the game.
There was a groundswell that hoped to convince Square Enix to unlock the digital version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake early to help online purchasers from feeling “punished,” but the company said business deals prevented that from happening. In truth, it's more likely that the short time between the crisis and the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake prevented Square Enix from finalizing a deal so quickly. Another PS4 exclusive (although not timed), The Last of Us Part 2, could deliver what FF 7 Remake couldn't by releasing digitally, but there is a lot of logistical hoops to jump through first.
Regardless, the most important thing is that Final Fantasy 7 Remake is just a few short days away and fans can ensure they have the game secure on their hard drives and ready for unlock time. If everything goes according to plan Final Fantasy 7 Remake should unlock in North America at 12am E.T.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake releases April 10, 2020 for PS4.