FF14 Collab Does Not A FF9 Remake Make, Says Director

Final Fantasy XIV's director, Naoki Yoshida ("Yoshi-P"), recently addressed speculation linking the recent FFXIV collaboration event with a potential Final Fantasy IX remake. Online theories suggested the event's references to the beloved 1999 RPG foreshadowed a remake announcement. Yoshida, however, dispelled these rumors.

Yoshi-P Quashes FF9 Remake Speculation

In an interview with JPGames, Yoshida clarified that the FFXIV collaboration's inclusion of FFIX elements stemmed from the game's overarching concept: FFXIV as a "theme park" celebrating the Final Fantasy franchise. The timing, he stressed, was entirely unrelated to any hypothetical FFIX remake project. "We had never thought about doing Final Fantasy IX in relation to any sort of Final Fantasy IX Remake—we had never thought about it in that commercial sense," he stated.

While dismissing the direct link, Yoshida acknowledged the significant affection for FFIX within the FFXIV development team and the sheer scale of the original game. He highlighted the challenge of recreating such a substantial title, explaining the team's decision to incorporate FFIX elements as a tribute within FFXIV's Dawntrail expansion.

Despite dashing hopes for an imminent remake announcement, Yoshida concluded with a supportive message: "I think potentially if any team was to take on doing a remake for Final Fantasy IX," he chuckled, "I would wish them the best of luck."

In short, the FFXIV collaboration is a standalone tribute to FFIX, not a harbinger of a remake. Fans eager for a FFIX remake will need to remain patient, contenting themselves for now with the numerous references found in FFXIV: Dawntrail.