A listing for the physical release of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has revealed that the FF7R Episode INTERmission DLC content will be included as a code in a box, rather than included in the game itself. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is the name of the base game's PS5 upgrade, while FF7R Episode INTERmission is the name of the two DLC chapters exclusive to that PS5 version of FF7 Remake.
FF7R Episode INTERmission adds two new chapters to the story of FF7 Remake, both starring Yuffie Kisaragi from the original Final Fantasy 7 as she infiltrates the city of Midgar. Players are expected to have completed the story of FF7 Remake before tackling the DLC chapters, as they involve spoilers for the rest of the game. Those own FF7 Remake on PS4 (not counting those who got it free through PlayStation Plus) will be able to upgrade to FF7 Remake Intergrade for free, but they will need to purchase the INTERmission content separately. Those who buy Intergrade on PS5 will receive INTERmission for free, however.
Because that's not complicated enough, it appears there are additional barriers to playing FF7R Episode INTERmission than fans originally realized. According to Twisted Voxel, the EB Games website in Australia claims that the INTERmission DLC will be included as a separate code for the physical version of Intergrade and that it will be included in the box, rather than being included on the physical disc.
This means that FF7R Episode INTERmission will be a one-time-use code for new purchases of FF7 Remake Intergrade. The game's resale value will be greatly affected by this, as people who want to experience the DLC will have to buy it separately. It's common for a company to include codes for pre-order DLC, but INTERmission is a major reason why so many people are interested in Intergrade to begin with, especially as the graphical upgrades are minimal in the jump from the PS4 version to PS5.
Developer Square Enix has made it somewhat confusing and difficult to purchase FF7 Remake Intergrade and INTERmission - at least, for anyone not looking to pay full price. Microsoft, Sony, and a number of third-party developers have allowed their games to be cross-gen, providing free upgrades for last-gen players who eventually want to play a game again on new current-gen systems. FF7R Episode INTERmission being a one-off code included in the physical edition is disappointing, but not entirely surprising. The disc version of Intergrade will lose a lot of its value over time, though. As it stands, PS5 owners can simply buy the PS4 version of FF7 Remake for cheaper, get the free Intergrade upgrade, and pay for INTERmission separately.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade and FF7R Episode INTERmission will be available for PS5 on June 10, 2021.
Source: EBGames (via Twisted Voxel)