Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo hits PS4, as game finally goes gold

(Image credit: Future)

If you've been hankering after the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, you're not the only one. First announced back at E3 2015, this recreation of one of Square Enix's most beloved titles has been at the forefront of many gamer's minds for years.

And now, the game is actually finished.

Speaking to Japanese gaming site 4Gamer, game director Tetsuya Nomura confirmed that the remake had wrapped up production, and was now working on final improvements and fixes before the game's planned April 2020 release.

“We had some time to improve the quality of the final product," he said, "but we have already mastered it, so there is no further delay.”

The news will likely be reassuring to many, given the slow development behind the game: despite gameplay footage being shown off back in 2015, there were years of relative silence between that and the more recent flurry of announcements in 2019.

The initial March 3 release date was postponed until April 10, and the game's history has meant that not all of us were convinced there wouldn't be further delays.

Twiddling thumbs

For those who had been hoping to play the game in March, you'll still be able to. A three-hour demo has landed on PS4, giving you a taste of the current-gen gameplay before the rest of the game is available in mid-April.

We had some mixed feelings about how Final Fantasy 7's "classic" gameplay help up by modern standards, but by all accounts this is going to be one of 2020's most notable PS4 games – and likely PC and Xbox One games in 2021, when Sony's timed exclusivity window lapses.

Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.

Latest in PS4
A villain plots in a bar
Respawn director explains why Jedi Survivor won’t be on Xbox One and PS4
DualShock 4 controller sat on top of a PS4 console
Microsoft confirms what we always suspected about the PS4
Key art of Clive Rosfield (left) and Joshua Rosfield (right), standing back to back
I'm glad the PS4 version of Final Fantasy 16 was scrapped
PS4 console with controller in dim lighting
Don't expect new PS4 games after 2025
A pixelized image of Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Zero Dawn on PS1 doesn’t look half bad
Sony WH-1000XM3
My trusty old Sony headphones convinced me to ditch my gaming headset for PS4
Latest in News
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #1154)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #385)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #651)
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold main display opened
Apple is rumored to be prioritizing battery life on the foldable iPhone – which could also feature a liquid metal hinge for added durability
Google Pixel 9
The Google Pixel 10 just showed up in Android code – and may come with a useful speed boost
L-mount alliance
Sirui joins L-Mount Alliance to deliver its superb budget lenses for Leica, DJI, Sigma and Panasonic cameras