Final Fantasy IX Remake’s stealth release is just around the corner

Square Enix’s long-rumoured Final Fantasy IX Remake is allegedly releasing next year. While not the full-fledged do-over that the company is creating for Final Fantasy VII, this remake will allow people to revisit one of the best stories in the entire franchise.

Renowned Square Enix leaker I’m A Hero Too revealed that the upcoming remake is scheduled to launch at the end of Summer 2024. With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth set to launch earlier that year, fans of the series will be treated to two huge nostalgia projects within mere months of each other.

Alongside the tease of the Final Fantasy IX Remake, the leaker also teased an upcoming remake of Final Fantasy X as well as alleged plans for some form of FFX-3, whether that be a new game or some other media follow-up.

Following the release of Final Fantasy XVI and the rapid success of its MMO platform Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix has pivoted to re-encapsulate what made the franchise insanely popular almost two decades ago.

While these rumours should be taken with a heavy grain of salt, Square Enix has been known to create smaller remakes between its massive Final Fantasy projects. Between Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI, the studio released both an Integrade chapter for the former and a Crisis Core Remake on all platforms.

Fans have been asking for a remake of Final Fantasy IX for years. While many are skeptical that Square would make too many changes, such as the canon-altering whispers in FF7 Remake, a more subdued revival would be a brilliant addition to fans’ collections.

In the interim, some fans have gone as far as to create their own remake of the ninth mainline FF title for PC. Via our sister site StealthOptional, the Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project raises the bar for whatever Square Enix finally does put out.

Nevertheless, whatever the developer decides to release, a return to the fantastical world of Final Fantasy IX would be brilliant to see on modern systems. With Square looking to push the franchise onto more than just PlayStation, we might actually see a multiplatform launch for the title as well, just like the Crisis Core Remake.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth finally releases on PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024. The game will receive a PC port sometime in the future.