Do you need to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake before Rebirth?

an image of some characters from Final Fantasy 7 RebirthSquare Enix

The newest Final Fantasy installment, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has just arrived but do you need to play Remake before Rebirth? We’ve got everything you need to know right here.

The second entry in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has just launched to much excitement from fans. This PS5 exclusive expands on Cloud and Friends story with a big open world to explore, and a timeline that differs from the original 1997 game.

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Do you have to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake before or can you jump into Rebirth? We’ve got the answer to that question right here, including co-director Motomu Toriyama’s stance on whether new players can pick up the second game in the trilogy right away.

Do you need to play the Final Fantasy 7 Remake first?

ff7r xboxSquare Enix

In 2023, co-director Toriyama clarified whether Final Fantasy fans need to play Remake before Rebirth.

He said: “No, we have made preparations so that players who did not get a chance to play the first game can fully enjoy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.” This also suggests gamers may not have to play Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, either.

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It turns out that, FF7 Rebirth features a prologue section that recaps the events of the FF7 Remake, elements of Crisis Core, and also gives players some further insight into who both Cloud and Sephiroth are. Therefore, Toriyama was correct when he said players wouldn’t need to play Remake before Rebirth.

However, as helpful and in-depth as the prologue recap is, it’s certainly no true substitute for playing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as this will give players far more context for what’s happened so far in that universe. It also pays to play Crisis Core and the Episode INTERmission DLC, if time permits.

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Although, it’s up to every individual player what they want to do.

For more Final Fantasy content, check out our guides below:

How to skip the Nibelheim mission | How to complete all World Intel objectives | Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: Who is Zack Fair? | Can you play as Vincent Valentine in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? | Can you play as Cid Highwind in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? | How to complete all World Intel objectives | What are the Whispers? | How to unlock all save data bonuses | How long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

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