If Final Fantasy 7 Remake left you wanting to take the plunge and work your way through every last entry of the 34-year-old franchise, you better pick up V and VI quick. Starting July 27, neither game will be available for purchase through popular game client Steam. As of earlier today, a notice has been added to the Steam pages for both games, reading:
“This game will no longer be available for purchase after July 27, 2021. Instead, please purchase the pixelated remaster version of “FINAL FANTASY V/FINAL FANTASY VI,” coming soon.”
While this news might be frustrating to some, it’s not particularly shocking. The current Steam versions of both Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI were widely considered poor ports that lacked the artistry of the original games, so an upgraded version of both titles has been in demand for quite some time. However, as of now there is no telling just how soon “soon” is, meaning players will have to wait indefinitely to purchase them up if they don’t do so before they leave the shop.
The upcoming Pixel Remaster series that ultimately will replace Steam’s current versions of the games was revealed earlier this month at Square Enix’s E3 presentation. The series contains the first Final Fantasy games re-released in a traditional 2D pixel art style and will be available on Steam as well as Apple and Android devices sometime in the (hopefully near) future. However, the trailer shown at the event was an extremely brief 30 seconds long, leading fans to wonder just what updates and improvements will be made to the series. Additionally, there has been no news on if folks who already own the games will get free upgrades. Here’s hoping we have some answers to these questions — and a release date — soon.