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Over the years, there’s been plenty of speculation as to why RPGs–and turn-based RPGs in particular–aren’t quite as popular as they once were. While there’s no one right answer to as to why this is the case, what is clear is this is particularly bad news for companies like Square Enix. Though the studio has diversified its portfolio over the years and has been keen to add modern twists to its old formulas, it’s no secret that even its blockbuster titles aren’t performing as well as the company would hope. Ahead of Final Fantasy VII Revelation’s 2027 release, its director, Naoki Hamaguchi, has offered an interesting perspective on why that might be.
In an interview with 4Gamer, Hamaguchi explained that streamers might be contributing to the genre’s decline. Whereas genres like shooters, strategy games, or even life-sims are reliant upon player input and offer more varied outcomes, Hamaguchi theorizes that more straightforward, narrative-heavy experiences could enable people to “simply watch a stream and feel satisfied without ever playing the game themselves.”
“One thing RPGs like Final Fantasy need to be careful about today is the possibility that people might simply watch a stream and feel satisfied without ever playing the game themselves,” Hamaguchi said. “This is a bit of a crisis for the work itself, or rather, it’s not something game creators can wholeheartedly celebrate. If people watch a stream and it makes them think, ‘What would I do in that situation?’ or ‘How would I experiment with that?’, then hopefully they’ll be inspired to try it themselves.”
Hamaguchi made it clear that he doesn’t fault streamers for this, but instead looks at it as an opportunity for RPG makers. According to the director, it is becoming more important than ever for developers to create titles that feature elements of decision making and choice.
“If we simply limit the game to only experiencing the story, players might find it more enjoyable to watch videos from their favorite influencers or YouTubers,” Hamaguchi continued.
Hamaguchi’s theory makes sense. After all, as game prices continue to soar and the sheer volume of new games increases–just look at this September’s lineup, for example–it is growing harder and harder to justify purchasing every game you’d like to play. Though narrative-heavy games are certainly appealing to some audiences, it makes sense that players would gravitate towards games with more variability in order to make their investment feel worth it.
Ahead of Final Fantasy VII Revelation’s release, Hamaguchi also spoke with GameSpot about what fans can expect from the game. For starters, minigames–a feature Rebirth was criticized for having too many of–will be less of a focus going forward. Hamaguchi also discussed the process of bringing the original game’s weapons to life, as well as what adventures might lay ahead for Cloud and the team following the remake trilogy’s conclusion.
