The next entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series is in development and fans are eager to see where the story is going next. FF7 Remake is its own series and projects now, independent from the mainline Final Fantasy games, which are continuing with FF16 and the new expansions for the MMORPGs. If the next FF7 Remake is also another piece in a much larger story, then where will it end?
The first game in the FF7 Remake series involved the characters escaping from their pre-determined destiny and forging a new path, which also happened to mess with the timeline, allowing characters who perished in the original game to survive. The Midgar section of FF7 was greatly expanded in the remake, which included bringing the summons into the story much earlier, introducing new characters, and even incorporating characters from the FF7 novels that were released after the original game.
Square Enix has revealed that FF7 Remake news is happening in June, which many fans believe is related to the next entry in the series. 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of FF7 and the second FF7 Remake has been in active development for two years, so Square Enix likely has something to show the fans, whether it be a teaser trailer or just the name for the next entry in the franchise. The next entry in the FF7 Remake series likely won't be the last, and the upcoming news might shed some light as to how much story will be covered in the new game. There is a lot of FF7 left to be remade, but there is a specific point where the next game is likely to end.
The Current FF7 Remake Ending & The Events Of The Aerith & Tifa Novel
The story of FF7 Remake (as of the INTERmission DLC in the Intergrade update) currently sits at the end of the Midgar section of the original game. Cloud and his friends have hitch-hiked a ride to Kalm and will likely start the next game there. INTERmission also included a new scene, where Zack Fair (who is somehow alive in this timeline) arrives at the church, hoping to be reunited with Aerith. He bursts through the door and sees the survivors of the destruction of the Sector 7 Plate, and asks what happened. The Zack scene is currently the last point in the timeline.
There is an official FF7 novel that is out in Japan and is set to receive an English localization later in 2022. The novel is called Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Traces of Two Pasts and it involves Aerith and Tifa discussing their lives before the events of FF7 Remake. The framing device of the novel involves Aerith and Tifa talking during the boat ride to Costa Del Sol. The FF7 novels have been confirmed as canon in the past, with characters from The Kids Are Alright appearing in FF7 Remake, and Traces of Two Pasts was written by Kazushige Nojima, one of the lead writers of FF7 Remake, so there are plenty of reasons to think that the events of the novel will occur. This means that the next game should contain the Kalm flashback, the Chocobo Farm & escaping the Midgar Zolom, the Mythril Mines, the first encounter with Yuffie, Junon, Cloud dressing as a soldier, and then the journey to Costa Del Sol. Fort Condor might've been cut from FF7 Remake, as the Fort Condor minigame introduced in INTERmission could be a hint at its removal from the series.
The Next FF7 Remake Could End At FF7's Disc One
If Traces of Two Pasts is canon, then it's likely that the next stage of the story will be closer to the source material than FF7 Remake, and that towns like Kalm and Junon won't be expanded to the same degree as Midgar. It's still unlikely that the rest of FF7 will be crammed into the next game, as there's just too much content, especially when recreated with the high production values of FF7 Remake. If it took five years or more to build the Midgar of FF7 Remake, then how long would the rest of the game take?
There's a natural endpoint for the next FF7 Remake game and it's the same moment where the first disc of FF7 ended. The City of the Ancients was the last location in disc one of FF7 and it included the most famous scene in the game, as it's where FF7's Aerith is killed by Sephiroth. Not only is this moment the most important FF7 scene, but it's also one of the most important scenes in video game history. The death of Aerith is something that fans are waiting and dreading to see, and it's the natural endpoint for the next game.
Will Aerith's Fate Be The Same In FF7 Remake?
Aerith's death seems like a forgone conclusion, but FF7 Remake went out of its way to say that events can be different this time around. If events can change, then maybe Aerith can be spared? There are many hints that Aerith retains her memories of the original game and she might be able to use that knowledge to save herself. Sephiroth also exhibits knowledge of the original game, and Sephiroth might spare Aerith in FF7 Remake, or kill one of Cloud's allies instead, as Aerith's presence in the Lifestream is what foiled his plans, as she was able to use it to aid Holy in stopping Meteor. And what about Zack? If he's alive this time around and is active in the story, then maybe he's able to prevent Aerith's death, considering she's the woman he loves.
If the next FF7 Remake game ends with a twist on the famous Aerith death scene, then that would have an even bigger impact going forward, as the story will truly be going in a new direction. Aerith's death is also such an iconic moment that maybe it's just being delayed or will have a new context this time around. There are many possibilities and it's likely that the next Final Fantasy VII Remake game will use its newfound freedom to explore these ideas.