Square Enix games are going cross-gen as PS5 launch looms near

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Square Enix's upcoming games – including the Final Fantasy 7 Remake – will be largely cross-gen titles, if a recent investor Q&A is anything to go by.

A recent post by Twitter account @Nibellion revealed this neat tidbit from Square Enix's latest Financial Results Briefing, in which Square Enix President Yosuke Matsuda cited plans to make "new titles" from the publisher "available for both current and next-generation consoles", with games exclusive to the PS5 and Xbox Series X generation not coming for a while yet.

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This isn't surprising news in itself: after all, there's a massive install base for the Xbox One and PS4, and it wouldn't make much sense to limit the possible sales by only launching titles on their console successors right now. But it's reassuring to know those opting for next-gen hardware will have the option of playing any new Square Enix titles in the latest format.

There's no word on Xbox's Smart Delivery feature, which promises players free upgrades to next-gen versions of games they buy on the Xbox One – but with Cyberpunk 2077 joining the ranks, we could well see a number of Square Enix titles following suit.

What does this mean for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake?

There's understandably a lot of excitement around the Final Fantasy 7 Remake – now at a fever pitch after a launch delay means it won't arrive until April 10.

The game is currently only releasing on PS4, though as a timed exclusive we expect it to hit the Xbox One and PC some time next year. The cross-gen talk is curious, though, and given the timelines we may see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake land on Xbox One and Xbox Series X around the same time, if not the same day.

Matsuda also clarified that the launch delay of the remake wouldn't affect development plans for the next entry in the Final Fantasy series, either – so there could be a lot more FF goodness coming your way in the next couple of years too.

Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.