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Nomura not directing Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, focusing on other projects

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 directorship is falling solely to Naoki Hamaguchi as Nomura steps back to focus on an 'unprecedented number of projects'.

TJ Denzer

February 26, 2021 12:40 PM

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Tetsuya Nomura handles a lot of work for Square Enix on some flagship franchises including directorship of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy games, as well as concept and character design. However, while he continues to have a full slate, it would appear he’s stepping back from one major role. Where the first Final Fantasy 7 Remake had multiple directors, FF7 Remake Part 2 is being paired down to one, and Nomura revealed he is stepping back from the role to focus on other numerous projects.

Nomura’s exit from the director role on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 was revealed in a recent interview posted on Famitsu. Final Fantasy 7 Remake was directed up to launch by three directors, Tetsuya Nomura, Naoki Hamaguchi, and Motomu Toriyama. For Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, Nomura revealed that the director role has fallen to Naoki Hamaguchi.

“I personally have an unprecedented number of projects,” Nomura explained. “In Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the base gameplay was solidified in the first work. I could see points that should be repaired in the future, so I left the director of the next work to Hamaguchi.

Despite his exit from the director’s seat on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, Aonuma is by no means exiting work on projects related to FF7R Part 2.

“I myself will be involved as a creative director comprehensively in relation to [Final Fantasy 7] including remakes and mobile works,” he continued.

Indeed, Nomura has his hands in a lot of ongoing Square Enix projects. As he mentions himself, Nomura is the creative director on both Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier and Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis, which bring unique spinoffs of the FF7 universe to mobile devices.

It’s strange to think of a new project in Final Fantasy 7 without Tetsuya Nomura at the helm. That said, with Naoki Hamaguchi having had a pivotal hand in the direction of the first chapter of the remake, there’s little reason to doubt that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in good hands.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.