The Final Fantasy 7 Remake was highly anticipated and many were keen to experience the acclaimed RPG with updated graphics and content, twenty-three years after its initial release. The remake of Final Fantasy 7 faired well critically and while some fans were divided about the story changes in the remaster, the first part of the title has largely been a success. The commercial achievements of the game have now been noted by developer Square Enix in its annual financial report.
The remake of Final Fantasy 7 has had the difficult task of revisiting a classic while updating it for a modern audience. The team behind the game have stated that they have approached Final Fantasy 7 carefully to capture its spirit while incorporating new visuals and fighting mechanics. This seems to have paid off as the title has created a huge surge in digital sales for Square Enix.
Square Enix saw its digital entertainment earnings jump from 37.1 billion yen last fiscal year to 74.3 billion this year. This is over double the income of the previous year and the spike in growth took place in Q2 of this year which coincides with the release of Final Fantasy 7. Across all departments, the company saw a growth of 33.7 billion yen but the clearest change over the year has been the sales of digital entertainment. This won't have been too much of a surprise for the company as it a AAA title that has been released when video game demand is higher than ever. Nonetheless, this is evidence that the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been an incredible success for Square Enix.
The Final Fantasy 7 Remake was undoubtedly one of the biggest titles that Square Enix have released this year, but looking forward the company may be able to continue this trend of growth. There are plenty of high profile games being released by Square Enix this year and if they have a similar impact to the remake of Final Fantasy 7 then the company will be in a great position. Equally, there is still no confirmation of when part 2 of the FF7 Remake will be released and with that in mind, there is no guarantee of further success this year.
It has been a positive year for Square Enix despite a global pandemic that has impacted many other industries. While the vast majority of this current success is because of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the company has a chance to build on this with its upcoming titles later this year.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available now on PS4.
Source: Square Enix