If claims of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake coming this year alongside a “classic-style” Star Fox title, while a new 3D Mario reportedly launches in 2027, insider NateTheHate also had an update on Final Fantasy 9 Remake. Last heard about in 2024, it’s had “no new movement” in recent times.
“So, the last update I had on it was that the game is still on ice,” he alleged in a new podcast episode with ModernVintageGamer. However, that doesn’t mean it’s cancelled. “Now, ‘on ice’ with Square Enix could mean they may return to it one day, but as far as I’ve heard, there’s been no new movement with it. Hopefully, one day Square Enix returns to it, and we may see a Final Fantasy 9 remake come to light.”
Rumors first emerged in 2023 courtesy of Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb. It was alleged around the same time as Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster, which became Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (and won extensive critical acclaim while selling one million copies). However, an announcement for Final Fantasy 9 Remake is pending.
Whether it’s on the scale of Final Fantasy 7 Remake/Rebirth or something far less grand remains unknown, but there’s no denying fan interest. After all, Final Fantasy 9 launched in 2000 for PlayStation One, and is widely beloved by fans thanks to its characters, storytelling, and return to a more “traditional” format for the series. It even sold 8.9 million copies as of 2025.
With its character designer Toshiyuki Itahana departing Square Enix earlier this year, the project’s future is anyone’s guess. Regardless, stay tuned for updates.
