Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary Site Hints at Switch 2 Remake Reveal

The excitement around the long-rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake has surged once again following Square Enix's launch of an official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website. The site, which is in Japanese, commemorates the game's original release on July 7, 2000, and its upcoming 25th anniversary. It teases fans with a promise of "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations" to celebrate this milestone, sparking speculation that the much-anticipated remake might finally be announced.

The timing of the website's launch has not gone unnoticed, especially with Nintendo's planned Switch 2-focused Direct scheduled for April 2. This has led some fans to speculate whether Square Enix might use the Direct to announce the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2. While the website's mention of "various projects" could imply anything from new merchandise to collaborations, it has certainly fueled the rumor mill.

Last year, Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida, the producer of Final Fantasy 14, discussed the challenges of remaking Final Fantasy 9. He highlighted the game's "huge volume," suggesting that fitting it into a single title might be difficult. Yoshi-P hinted that a remake could follow the model of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is being released as a trilogy.

Earlier in 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector's Edition and Digital Collector's Edition of the Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Dawntrail. These include the Ark summon as a mount and a wind-up Princess Garnet minion, with pre-orders of Dawntrail also offering a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, Yoshi-P playfully teased the abundance of Final Fantasy 9 references, hinting at a secret behind their inclusion.

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Rumors about a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak that included a list of upcoming titles from Square Enix. Although Nvidia confirmed the list's legitimacy, it may be outdated. The list included several games that Square Enix has since announced or released, such as the Chrono Cross remaster, Kingdom Hearts 4, and the Final Fantasy 7 remake for PC. However, both the Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics, also mentioned in the leak, have yet to be officially confirmed. Just months before the Nvidia leak, in June 2021, reports surfaced about a Final Fantasy 9 animated series in development, though no updates have been provided since.