Square Enix FINALLY Revealing The Long-Lost Final Fantasy IX Remake

There is a time in the gaming industry called "E3-but-not-E3," and everyone is looking forward to Summer Game Fest 2025. This is Geoff Keighley's yearly show that has taken over from the now-defunct Electronic Entertainment Expo. The event is coming up soon, and rumors are spreading fast. People are especially interested in whether Square Enix will be there with its two most talked-about and expected projects, Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 and the long-awaited Final Fantasy IX Remake.

As of late May, the official list of partners for this year's Summer Game Fest hadn't been made public, but Square Enix's participation in the past has shown that it's still a chance. The Japanese company can make big announcements at a number of other events besides the Summer Game Fest. These include its own Square Enix Presents shows, Sony's PlayStation State of Play, and even the Tokyo Game Show later in the year.

Square Enix has already said that there won't be many big new games coming out in the rest of 2025. However, the fact that there haven't been any releases doesn't mean that there won't be any news. That being said, now is the best time to start building momentum for 2026 and beyond, as marketing and development cycles typically take six months to a year or more to complete. Giving away games early allows the excitement to build up slowly, and for Square Enix, a company that excels in brand marketing, timing is everything.

There is a lot of talk about this because Geoff Keighley has a close connection to Square Enix. In the past, Keighley has often secured world premieres and major announcements from Japanese publishers, such as Square. It's very possible that Keighley's stage would be the first place the company shows off anything new.

In the past few years, one of the most persistent theories has been that Final Fantasy IX is being remade from start to finish. Final Fantasy IX came out in 2000 for the PlayStation. In July 2025, it will be 25 years since its first release. Since this is a big deal, Square Enix has increased activity around the brand in ways that strongly suggest they are celebrating more than just the past.

The official Final Fantasy IX anniversary website was just launched and is still being updated all the time. Not only do these changes add new merchandise, but they also add new high-resolution character renders of Zidane, Vivi, Steiner, and Garnet. 

Toshiyuki Itahana, an artist and character creator who has worked with Square Enix for a long time, made these renders. Interestingly, this isn't just a cosmetic update to old materials. With these new designs and in-depth character bios, the cast seems to be being introduced to a new generation of fans, which would be an odd step if the only goal was to sell merchandise.

Many people in the business see this level of effort as more than just an effort to please fans. People who work in the gaming industry and have access to confidential information say that the rumored remake is larger than a typical remaster but not as extensive as the Final Fantasy VII Remake project. One source likened it to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, noting that it was a modernized experience with new graphics, improved gameplay, and also additional content while still retaining the core elements of the original game, such as turn-based combat.

If there is such a project, it would be smart to show it off around the anniversary, when fans are most likely to be nostalgic. One plan could be to show a teaser video at Summer Game Fest in June and then host a full celebration event in July featuring interviews, new merchandise, and gameplay trailers. Based on the typical time it takes to produce and sell items, a release date in early to mid-2026 seems reasonable.

Then there's Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3, which is the long-awaited last game in the remake trio. When the second part, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released in February 2024, it received positive reviews. Now that people have played the game and the story is moving forward at a fast pace, many fans think that Square Enix might use Summer Game Fest to tease the last chapter, maybe with a movie teaser or some short engine video.

It would be in line with Square Enix's previous plan, which was to build excitement for Rebirth by showing it pretty early on. Part 3 of Remake is unlikely to be released until late 2026 or 2027, but an early teaser this year would keep the series in the public eye and demonstrate that work is progressing well. Due to the positive reviews of Rebirth and the exciting ending that left players wanting more, it's clear that people want more material.

In the meantime, Square Enix has undergone significant changes over the last few months, including new senior leadership and a renewed focus on global multi-platform strategies. One important thing to remember about these changes is that the publisher wants its biggest titles to reach as many people as possible. 

That means that if there is a Final Fantasy IX remake, it might not only come out on PlayStation. Instead, it might be released simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This might also happen with later games in Final Fantasy VII Remake, as Square aims to reach a broader audience.

Fans of Final Fantasy IX who have been waiting for a long time have high hopes. Some people want specific quality-of-life changes implemented if the game is remade. People often want to be able to directly activate Trance's abilities in battle instead of having them activate randomly like they did in the original game. 

A lot of players got angry when Trance would happen at the wrong time, wasting a powerful change on low-stakes fights. Another popular idea is to let characters like Zidane switch weapons in the middle of a fight, like how Final Fantasy X lets you do that. These changes would bring the fighting up to date while keeping the game's charm and essence.

The excitement around Final Fantasy IX's 25th anniversary is unlike anything the series has done for other games in the series. It is especially true when compared to Final Fantasy VIII, which didn't get much attention for its own anniversary. This difference leads me to believe that Square Enix could be laying the groundwork for a larger project related to IX.

In the end, things look like they're going to work out, even if these projects aren't actually announced at Summer Game Fest. With the current brand revival, a lot of talk in the industry, and the popularity of the Final Fantasy VII series, it's clear that Square Enix doesn't want its most popular games to just fade away into nostalgia.

At Summer Game Fest, announcements would be timed and well thought out. Millions of players around the world are watching, and the company is about to start a bold new chapter in the history of its legendary brand. It's too good of a chance to pass up. This summer could be the start of Square Enix's next big era, whether it's a dramatic teaser for Remake Part 3 or a full-on trailer for a new version of Final Fantasy IX.