Final Fantasy 7 Revelation disc will hold only the opening, director says

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will get a disc when it launches in 2027, but the disc will only hold the start of the game.

The finale of Square Enix's three-part remake has a launch date of 8 April 2027 for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. PS5 and Xbox Series X physical copies will still need a substantial download to play the game in full, according to director Naoki Hamaguchi Eurogamer.

The disc is what the industry calls a key disc. It contains only the opening, and unlocks the rest of the game once the download is complete. Players will need an internet connection and enough storage space for the full install.

Hamaguchi said he pushed for physical media after fans asked for a full disc version. He pushed for more. He said decisions on the product line-up and SKUs, the different editions and packs put on sale, sit with the publishing team and his own authority there is somewhat limited.

He said he argued for a physical version as far as he could. That led to internal talks and negotiations with the first parties, the console makers, which produced the one-disc approach now planned.

Size is the issue. Hamaguchi had said earlier that Square Enix would have to compromise the quality of the final chapter to fit the whole game on disc Eurogamer. Square Enix describes Revelation as the final battle for the fate of the world, with players standing alongside their companions against Sephiroth.

Hamaguchi said he still expects physical media to remain in some form. He said he can also see a not-too-distant future where it is effectively disc-less, a code on paper inside the box. He said he realises that shift is already under way.

What makes this stand out is the honesty about the trade-off. Fans who want a box on the shelf will get one. Fans who want everything on that disc will not, because the game as built is larger than what one disc can usefully hold.