Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is still being kept away from trailers and screenshots, but Square Enix is far enough into the trilogy finale for co-director Naoki Hamaguchi to have finished it dozens of times himself.
Speaking in a new Nintendo Life interview, Hamaguchi said development on the currently untitled third entry is moving well, even though Square Enix has not announced a release date or shown the game publicly.
"We’re very excited about how the game is currently progressing. I have already completed over 40 full playthroughs! I can’t wait for as many people as possible to experience the game for themselves, and myself and the team are working hard to ensure we can create an unforgettable gameplay experience."
That does not amount to a reveal window, but it gives fans a clearer sense of where the project sits internally. A director completing that many runs usually points to a game being playable from start to finish during refinement, testing and balancing, not simply a project that exists on paper.
The update lands while Square Enix is also widening access to the existing remake trilogy. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launches on Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC on June 3, after a free Rebirth demo recently arrived on Switch 2 and Xbox with save carry-over into the full game.
Hamaguchi also explained that the team is still trying to balance nostalgia with the changes needed for a modern remake. He said the original game's emotional core and character relationships are elements the developers "can’t afford to treat lightly," while presentation and design have to meet current expectations.
The third game will close Square Enix's long-running remake project, which began with Final Fantasy 7 Remake in 2020 and continued with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Hamaguchi said he has been involved with the project for more than ten years and hopes the finale leaves players feeling glad they stayed with the series until the end.