Summary
- The critically acclaimed RPG is coming January 22, 2026 to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC via the Microsoft Store.
- Experience the story that changed gaming forever in a bold new way.
- Step into Midgar – one of the most immersive and iconic videogame settings of all time.
Final Fantasy Remake Intergrade is coming to Xbox on January 22, 2026!
For many fans this is amazing news, but we realise there will be many players who have never experienced the world of Final Fantasy VII before. You’ve probably heard of the game, but you may be wondering: why is this such a big deal?
We will explain, but before we can talk about Final Fantasy Remake, we must discuss the legendary game that came before.
What is Final Fantasy VII?
1997 saw the release of a very special game: Final Fantasy VII. This RPG wasn’t just a critical and commercial hit – it was a literal gamechanger. Many credit it with popularizing the Japanese RPG across the West, especially since it was the first mainline Final Fantasy game to release outside of Japan or North America. For many players it was the first JRPG they ever played.
And what a place to start! Final Fantasy VII still stands as one of the greatest games in the genre. It had it all – an amazing story, brilliant command-based combat, incredible production values, unforgettable soundtrack and some of the most iconic characters in gaming. Even people who have never played the game will recognize the likes of Cloud and Sephiroth.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is the first game in a trilogy of full-length RPGs that reimagine this beloved game at a scale rarely seen in gaming. It offers an even deeper story, more insight into the characters and setting, new scenarios not featured in the original game, a fast-paced, modern combat system, an incredible soundtrack, and far more beyond.
If you’ve never experienced Final Fantasy VII before, it’s an amazing way to experience the story and characters that changed gaming forever. If you did play Final Fantasy VII the first time round, you’ll get to experience the world and its characters in a brand-new way.
Director Naoki Hamaguchi explains it best: “Our goal with Final Fantasy VII Remake was to capture everything that made the original game so special, but bring it up to date with the latest technology so that new players could be just as excited as players of the original game were when that released.
“For new players, this is where the story of Final Fantasy VII begins. If you’ve seen characters such as Cloud or Sephiroth in other games, and wondered where their story started, this is the game.”
The Story That Changed Gaming Forever
But what’s so memorable about that story? Well, here’s the basic setup.
The game takes place in Midgar – an industrial city controlled by the Shinra Electric Power Company. This immoral organisation uses massive reactors to suck mako from the planet – a substance used as a power source to give people comfortable lives, power the company’s weapons of war and more.
But mako is also the lifeblood of the planet, and the more Shinra uses, the more it harms the world.
The story begins when mercenary Cloud Strife joins the Shinra resistance group Avalanche on a mission to sabotage one of these planet-harming reactors. This dangerous mission sets off a chain of events that will change him and the city forever – and put him face to face with an enemy long thought dead: the sinister Sephiroth.
It’s a thrilling adventure, full of surprises that we don’t want to ruin here. But what really makes it stand out are the characters. The main cast of Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Aerith are some of the most beloved in gaming, and Final Fantasy VII Remake goes deeper into their personalities than ever before.
Even side characters get richer, more layered personalities – by the end of the game you’ll think of them as friends.
An Iconic Setting
Then there’s Midgar – the game’s iconic setting. It’s a cliché to say the city is like a character in its own right but… well, Midgar is like a character in its own right.
…what? Sometimes clichés can be right.
Known as the ‘City of Mako’, it’s a vast circular metropolis comprised of a top plate where the more well-to-do residents and Shinra employees live, and slums beneath which are… less pleasant.
Because of the top plate covering the sky, the people in the slums are forced to rely on artificial suns for light. Combined with the lifeless earth caused by the mako-sucking reactors, and mutated fiends that roam the wastelands between sectors, it’s a hard life for many who live there, but there’s life and community too.
It was an instantly memorable setting for the original game’s opening act, but Final Fantasy VII Remake brings Midgar to life like never before. With a full-length adventure set in this city, you get to really explore each area, get to know its people, and discover whole new parts of the city that weren’t in the original adventure.
Hamaguchi says that it was important that this city didn’t just look good – it also felt like a believable place: “At the start of development, the game designers and scenario writers created documents that detailed the setting and the world, including the economic status of the different regions.
This information was invaluable in helping us define which elements of the environment could be shared across areas, and which should be region-specific – right down to the ratio of text on the posters and the look and feel of the inhabitants in those areas!”
21st Century Combat
As you explore the city, you’ll encounter numerous threats – from snarling fiends to Shinra’s ample army of troopers and war machines.
Ironically, this is a good thing because it means there’s plenty of opportunities to battle – and Final Fantasy VII Remake has one of the best combat systems out there. It’s a hybrid system that combines elements of the original game with fast-paced action gameplay.
Here’s how it works: you attack, block and dodge in real time and as you do so, you’ll fill your ‘ATB’ gauge. Once it’s full, you can press a button to slow down the action and select a command for your fighter or their allies to carry out. Alternatively, you can set moves to shortcuts to unleash them without slowing down the action. It makes for fast-paced, exciting battles where skill and strategic thinking are both rewarded.
“We intentionally designed the game to be welcoming to all types of players – if you’re a fan of action games, or prefer something more tactical, there are different control modes that allow the game to be played to your preference,” Hamaguchi adds.
There are four playable characters (five including the extra episode’, and you can switch between party members instantly. Each one has their own very distinct playstyle, from Cloud’s quick and stylish swordplay, Tifa’s powerful single-target martial arts, Aerith’s magical might and Barret’s powerful ranged attacks.
Then there’s FF7R EPISODE INTERmission – a two-chapter tale that takes place concurrently with the main story. It focuses on ninja Yuffie Kisaragi – an excitingly agile fighter who offers another playstyle to dig into!
As you can hopefully see, Final Fantasy VII Remake is more than just a simple revisitation of a landmark game. It’s a boldly ambitious, incredibly high-quality and – most importantly – wildly entertaining adventure that’s a perfect introduction to this incredible world. We can’t wait for new players to discover it for themselves on Xbox – and take their first steps on an unforgettable journey.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade launches January 22, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Microsoft Store. Thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere, you can play the game across console, PC, even the new ROG Xbox Ally, picking up where you left off each time.
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE
SQUARE ENIX
This RPG delivers unforgettable characters, a powerful narrative, and a hybrid battle system that blends real-time action with strategic, command-based combat.
It also includes FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, a side story starring Yuffie Kisaragi that offers a fresh perspective running in parallel to Cloud’s journey.
■ STORY
Mako, the lifeblood of the planet, is also a highly valuable energy source.
The Shinra Electric Power Company exploits this essence, draining and refining it to fuel their reactors, and in doing so, has all but seized control of the world.
But resistance rises. A ragtag group of idealists, known as Avalanche, is determined to protect the planet.
In the city of Midgar, Cloud Strife, ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary, joins Avalanche on their mission to blow up Reactor 1.
As the echo of the blast ripples through Sector 8, the city is set ablaze. In the flames, a fallen nemesis from Cloud’s past appears, challenging his memories and his identity.
Once more begins a story that will shape the destiny of the entire world.
*This game is a partial remake of FINAL FANTASY VII, first released in 1997. It is the first title in a multi-part series based on the original game. It reimagines the Midgar portion of the story with expanded scenes, new characters, and additional narrative layers.
■ FF7R EPISODE INTERmission
Play as Yuffie Kisaragi, a young ninja from Wutai, as she infiltrates Midgar on a mission to steal the ultimate materia from the Shinra Electric Power Company.
The post Why is Final Fantasy Remake Intergrade Such A Big Deal? appeared first on Xbox Wire.
