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GamesRadar
Technology
Anna Koselke

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation lead says "the way we design games also needs to evolve" as streaming over buying becomes more common, even if he does "fully support" content creators

With one black wing open, Sephiroth descends from a cloudy sky in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation - cropped to fit a header image.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, the third part of the JRPG remake from Square Enix, is sure to be part of many content creators' streams when it releases – but that doesn't mean it'll take away from viewers' own gameplay experiences, according to director Naoki Hamaguchi.

The lead explains as much in a recent interview with 4Gamer, stating that developers need to be careful with RPGs like Final Fantasy so that folks aren't satisfied by merely watching videos or streams – but that's not to say he doesn't approve of streamers and the like.

He's simply taken this into account while designing Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, ensuring it's a unique experience for everyone… every time. When the world is "changing," as Hamaguchi says, devs need to, too – and that means making sure a new title like the third part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is suited for both playing and streaming.

He clarifies his take in a follow-up post online, writing, "I fully support streaming culture," stressing once again that he's not opposed to content creation. "But as times change, I believe the way we design games also needs to evolve."

Hamaguchi concludes, "I'm looking forward to seeing how Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is received."

I'm personally excited to see how it goes as well – not only because I can't wait for the game itself, but because I want to see how Square Enix has managed to strike a balance between content creators' ability to host a fun stream or record an immersive video and players' capacity to enjoy the game firsthand themselves.

I don't often watch streams myself, but I do like gameplay videos here and there – and I see where the director is coming from here, honestly.

It's evident that most games weren't exactly designed with content creation or streaming in mind, even if there's been a rise in watching them rather than purchasing them for convenience, so it's intriguing to hear that some devs are taking this into account during production.

I don't think Final Fantasy 7 Revelation would have an issue with sales either way, though – sure, people will watch it… but it's also the third part of a remake trilogy of one of the best JRPGs to date. Something tells me lots of fans will be lining up to buy it.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation's portrayal of an "essential" scene from the OG JRPG made game director Naoki Hamaguchi cry in each of his 40 playthroughs.

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