My, oh my. The release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in Japan is sparking notable interest due to its first-week sales numbers. While still leading the sales charts, the follow-up’s figures haven’t matched the figures of its predecessor, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, nor its close cousin, Final Fantasy 16. The game sold 263,000 copies, a significant figure but not enough to reach the heights of its predecessor, which had sold 703,000 units during its launch period in 2020, or even Final Fantasy 16, which recorded 336,000 sales at its release, as per Famitsu.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth entered the market as a critically acclaimed sequel, picking up exactly where FF7 Remake left off. The PS5 exclusive title improves on its predecessor, combining real-time action with strategic and role-playing elements with a humongous open world, allowing players to control Cloud Strife and other members of the group. Their mission, which originally took place only in Midgard, now spans multiple cities as they fight the megacorporation Shinra and confront Sephiroth, aiming to save the planet’s life essence, the Lifestream.
Several factors are potentially contributing to the lower sales figures. For starters, FF7 Rebirth is the second chapter in a planned trilogy, potentially deterring newcomers to the series who might feel overwhelmed starting in the middle of the story. Additionally, the PS5’s lower install base compared to the PS4 at a similar point in its lifecycle could have impacted the sales. The more action-oriented and accessible combat of FF16 may have also appealed it to a broader audience compared to the more traditional JRPG mechanics of FF7 Rebirth.
While ultimately disappointing, it’s important to note that these are solely physical sales figures. FF7 Rebirth‘s overall figures, including digital sales, might be a lot higher. Don’t forget that Square Enix incentivized buying digital copies of the game by bundling FF7 Remake for free with the purchase of the right edition of FF7 Rebirth. Thus, with digital sales data from Japan currently unavailable, a more definitive picture might prove to be challenging.
Of course, this hasn’t stopped naysayers from criticizing those defending FF7 Rebirth for posting such numbers when FF16 faced backlash despite posting better sales.
With the current fiscal year ending soon, we’ll get a clearer picture of FF7 Rebirth‘s sales following its February 29 launch straight from Square Enix in the next couple of months.
Looking ahead, FF7 Rebirth‘s long-term success will depend on several factors. Positive word-of-mouth from fans and strong critical reception could propel sales in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, audiences can look forward to the upcoming performance patch for FF7 Rebirth. Unlike with FF16, which will receive its second DLC and a PC port later this year, Square confirms it has no such post-launch plans for FF7 Rebirth. Instead, it’s hard at work on the threequel. Finally, the entire FF7 remake trilogy apparently isn’t exclusive to PlayStation but Xbox owners shouldn’t get their hopes high for a chance to play either game. However, a PC port for the sequel is likely planned for a 2025 release.
