Square Enix has been hinting over the past few weeks that more information on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second part of the larger Final Fantasy VII Remake project, might be coming soon, and at today’s Summer Game Fest 2023 kickoff show, they delivered. First up, the big news – Square Enix confirmed Rebirth will be launching in under a year in early 2024.

　　That release date feels pretty believable, as the gameplay trailer shown at Summer Game Fest looked quite polished. As previously hinted, it looks like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will offer large, lush, explorable environments, even if it perhaps isn’t a full-on open-world title. In addition to the new vistas, the trailer hints at Sephiroth’s plans and further changes to the FF7 timeline. We also get a look at some combat, multiple boss battles, and more. You can check out the trailer for yourself, below.

　　Looking like another juicy slice of Final Fantasy goodness! Haven’t been keeping up with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? You won’t have to play Final Fantasy VII Remake to enjoy it, and the story is likely to diverge even further from the source material. Here’s what producer Yoshinori Kitase had to say about the new trailer…

　　“We’re honored to bring players around the world early next year the next installment of this thrilling tale, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH. The party will embark on a new adventure, so players can enjoy this story even without any familiarity with the previous title or the original FINAL FANTASY VII. The vast and explorable world along with the newly evolved speedy battles are sure to provide a most exciting gaming experience to new adventurers.

　　We would, of course, like to invite returning players and longtime fans to watch our new trailer closely for glimpses of pivotal story moments that Cloud and his friends will confront. The entire team has worked fervently with love and adoration for the world of FINAL FANTASY VII, reaching new heights of cinematic storytelling, immersive combat, rich exploration and more, and we can’t wait to share more details later this year.”

　　Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches on PS5 in early 2024. What do you think? Excited to continue this re-examination of a classic?