"Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary Site Sparks Switch 2 Remake Rumors"

Excitement is building once again around the long-awaited Final Fantasy 9 remake, fueled by Square Enix's launch of an official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website. The site, which is in Japanese, highlights the original game's release date of July 7, 2000, and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

The website teases fans with a message: "We are preparing various projects, including merchandise and collaborations to commemorate the 25th anniversary, so please look forward to it!" This seemingly innocent statement, combined with the anniversary website itself, has reignited speculation that Square Enix might finally unveil the much-anticipated Final Fantasy 9 remake.

The timing of the website's launch has not gone unnoticed by fans, especially with Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2-focused Direct scheduled for April 2. Speculation is rife that Square Enix could announce the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2 during this event, adding to the anticipation.

While the website mentions merchandise and collaborations, the phrase "various projects" has sparked intense discussion among fans. This excitement is understandable, given the long-standing rumors and hints about a potential remake.

Last year, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida provided some insights into what a Final Fantasy 9 remake might entail. He noted the game's extensive content, suggesting that remaking it as a single title could be challenging. Yoshi-P hinted that a Final Fantasy 9 remake might follow the model of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is being released as a trilogy.

Earlier in 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector's Edition and Digital Collector's Edition of the Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Dawntrail. These include Final Fantasy 9's Ark summon as a mount and a wind-up Princess Garnet minion. Pre-orders of Dawntrail also come with a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, Yoshi-P playfully teased the audience about the Final Fantasy 9 references, saying, "You may have noticed a lot of Final Fantasy 9 references here, but the reason is a secret,” before zipping his mouth shut.

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Rumors about a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak, which listed several unannounced Square Enix titles. Although Nvidia confirmed the leak's authenticity, the list might be outdated. It included games like the Chrono Cross remaster, Kingdom Hearts 4, and the Final Fantasy 7 remake for PC, all of which have since been announced or released. However, Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics, also on the list, have yet to see the light of day. Just months before the Nvidia leak, in June 2021, reports surfaced about a Final Fantasy 9 animated series in development, but no further updates have emerged since then.