A few days ago, the official PlayStation Blog asked game developers to share their most anticipated games coming in 2021, and Square Enix's Naoki Hamaguchi (one of the directors in charge of Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2) named Horizon Forbidden West because the first installment made a 'huge impression' on him as a game developer.

　　Horizon Zero Dawn, the first game of the franchise, left a huge impression on me as a game creator. I was taken by the deep immersive experience provided by the unbelievable graphics as well as the unique world I found myself in, a future where civilization has collapsed.

　　In the sense that the next title is expected to evolve even further, Final Fantasy VII Remake, which I’m in charge of is expected to do so the same way. For that, I have a personal affinity for Horizon (laughs). As a fan, I’m very much looking forward to Horizon: Forbidden West.

　　Does that mean we can expect Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 to take some actual elements from Horizon Zero Dawn's open world design? That much is presently unclear. However, we do know that game producer Yoshinori Kitase recently stated that the second part of the massively anticipated remake will not only deliver on players' expectations but also 'throw them off', albeit in a good way.

　　There's no release date yet for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2, but game director Tetsuya Nomura promised last July that the developers were planning on releasing it as soon as possible.

　　We know that everyone wants the next installment quickly. We would also like to deliver it as soon as possible. Since we were also able to see the line of quality from the first installment, we hope to make the next installment even better in quality that can make for an even better experience. We would like to get it out as soon as possible, so please wait for it. I think we can clearly convey the direction when we officially announce the next installment.

　　Meanwhile, PS5 and PC ports of the first part should be announced (and released) soon, according to rumors.