Tag Archives: Square Enix

FF7 Ever Crisis Chapter 12 Brings Holy — and a Bridge to FF7 Revelation

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is spending its final months telling the story it always promised — and Chapter 12, “Battle for the Planet,” is the penultimate piece. It drops on 13 August 2026 at 10 AM SGT (12 August at 7 PM PDT), bringing Cloud’s party face-to-face with Bugenhagen and the terrible secret of Holy, as the game counts down to its October 6 closure.

What Happens in Chapter 12 — Battle for the Planet

Square Enix is keeping exact plot details close to the chest, but the chapter’s name and premise come straight from the original FFVII’s endgame. Cloud’s group re-encounters Bugenhagen, the eccentric sage of Cosmo Canyon, who imparts the truth about Holy — the White Materia that Aerith spent the entire game protecting — while Shinra moves to deploy its Mako ray in a last-ditch attempt to stop Meteor without relying on Holy at all.

Cloud wielding the Buster Sword in FF7 Ever Crisis
Image courtesy of Square Enix

For anyone who played the original PlayStation game, these are among the most emotionally charged scenes in JRPG history. Ever Crisis has been retelling the full FFVII story in its signature clean-lined art style, and the Before Crisis chapters running alongside it — tracking the Turks’ backstory — have filled in lore that long-time fans have wanted for decades. Chapter 12 is where all of that converges.

FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS|FINAL FANTASY VII CHAPTER 12 Battle for the Planet — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

The Final Stretch — One More Chapter After This

Chapter 12 is the second-to-last. Square Enix has confirmed that Chapter 13 — the true finale — will arrive in September 2026, before Ever Crisis shuts down its servers at 14:00 SGT on 6 October 2026. Red Crystal sales were already suspended back in July, so the game is fully free to play through its final weeks. That means Singapore players can jump in and experience the full story run-up at no cost, right from where the original FFVII left off.

Cloud and Sephiroth face each other across the Buster Sword in FF7 Ever Crisis
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The game is available on iOS, Android, and PC via Steam. Progress carries across platforms, so if you started on mobile and want to finish the story on a bigger screen (or vice versa), you can do both. Check out other game news and updates for more on what’s coming to Singapore this month.

Why This Matters for FF7 Revelation

Ever Crisis was always designed as more than a gacha — it is Square Enix’s living Cliff Notes for the entire FFVII timeline, bridging the original game, the Remake trilogy, Crisis Core, and Before Crisis into one continuity. Chapter 12 covers the precise story territory that leads directly into Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final Remake instalment targeting Spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

The timing is pointed: as we covered last week, Square Enix will bring a fresh look at FF7 Revelation to Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August, presented by game director Naoki Hamaguchi. Running Ever Crisis Chapter 12 now — two weeks before that showcase — feels deliberate, a way to prime the fanbase on Holy and the Planet storyline right before Revelation’s new footage drops. For Singapore fans watching the ONL stream, having the Ever Crisis chapters fresh in mind may make the Revelation reveal land that much harder.

FFXIV Moonfire Faire 2026: How to Get the Inflatable Mograft Mount

FFXIV’s annual summer festival is back — Moonfire Faire 2026 runs from Tuesday, 12 August to Wednesday, 26 August, and this year’s headline reward is one of the game’s most adorable mounts yet: the Inflatable Mograft, a giant Moogle-shaped pool float you can actually ride. Here is everything you need to know before the event goes live.

What Is FFXIV Moonfire Faire 2026?

Moonfire Faire is FFXIV’s recurring summer seasonal event, set at the sun-soaked shores of Costa del Sol in La Noscea. This year’s theme is “Summer Blues? Ride a Pleasure Cruise!” — a celebration of beach life and water activities, with limited-time rewards you can only earn during the event window. Miss it and you’ll need to wait for items to appear on the FFXIV Online Store after the event closes.

Moonfire Faire 2026 Start Date, End Date, and Access Requirements

The event runs from 12 August 2026 (Tuesday) through 26 August 2026 (Wednesday). For Singapore players it launches in the early morning of 12 August SGT and wraps up on the evening of 26 August SGT.

You need a character of at least Level 30 to participate. Free Trial players on any platform — including the newly launched Switch 2 version — can access Moonfire Faire as long as they have met that level threshold. Note that free trial accounts have some restrictions on group content and in-game chat, but the seasonal quests themselves should be accessible.

How to Start the Moonfire Faire 2026 Quests

Head to Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks and find a Lalafell NPC called Mayaru Moyaru at coordinates X:11.5, Y:13.8. She hands out the first quest, “Earning Your Water Wings”, which takes around 30 minutes to clear. A second quest, “Whoever Floats Your Raft”, becomes available once you’ve finished the first. Both are short narrative quests with no gear or combat wall beyond the level requirement.

All Moonfire Faire 2026 Rewards

This year’s limited-time haul includes a new mount and a full set of summer furnishings:

  • Inflatable Mograft (Mount) — the standout new reward, a giant Moogle-shaped inflatable raft
  • Lawn Mograft (Outdoor furnishing)
  • Lawn Chocobo Raft (Outdoor furnishing)
  • Lawn Bomb Raft (Outdoor furnishing)
  • Moonfire Faire MMXXV Advertisement (Wall-mounted decoration)
  • Moonfire Faire MMXVII Advertisement (Wall-mounted decoration)
  • Tabletop Moonfire Faire MMXXV Advertisement (Tabletop decoration)
FFXIV Moonfire Faire 2026 rewards: Inflatable Mograft mount, seasonal lawn furnishings, and wall decorations
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Past glamours and emotes from previous Moonfire Faire events are not available from the in-event vendor — those items are sold separately on the FFXIV Online Store after the event ends.

The Inflatable Mograft — the new mount reward from FFXIV Moonfire Faire 2026
Image courtesy of Square Enix

What Switch 2 Players Need to Know

FFXIV launched on Nintendo Switch 2 on 4 August 2026, meaning Moonfire Faire 2026 is the first FFXIV seasonal event playable on Switch 2. If you have been holding off on picking up the game on Switch 2, timing is in your favour: Square Enix has the Complete Edition 30% off on the Nintendo eShop until 13 August 2026 — one day after the event starts, so you can dive straight into the summer festivities.

A few Switch 2-specific points:

  • A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is not required — FFXIV uses its own subscription, paid via FFXIV Coins on the eShop
  • Players who already subscribe on PC or PS5 get the Switch 2 subscription at 50% off
  • The Free Trial is available on Switch 2 and covers all content through Shadowbringers, with no time limit

Full event details are on the official FFXIV Lodestone Moonfire Faire page. For more game news and guides, keep checking GameTrader.SG.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation Confirmed for Gamescom ONL — New Gameplay Coming 25 August

Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy VII Revelation will appear at Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August 2026 — and new gameplay is on the way. Director Naoki Hamaguchi is expected on stage in Cologne, putting the trilogy's finale back in the spotlight ahead of its Spring 2027 launch.

FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION – Reveal Trailer — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

What Square Enix Is Showing at Gamescom ONL

Gamescom Opening Night Live goes live on 25 August at 11am PDT / 7pm BST — that is 2am SGT on 26 August for Singapore fans watching along. Square Enix has not detailed exactly what the new footage will cover, but with the game less than a year from launch, the timing is right for a substantive look: areas, party members, combat mechanics, or story beats beyond what the June 2026 Summer Game Fest reveal showed. Hamaguchi's previous showcase appearances — at both the Remake and Rebirth reveals — consistently delivered meaningful new information rather than re-cut trailers.

Characters parachute from the Highwind airship over a lush coastal landscape in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Highwind, Parachute Drops, and the Biggest World in the Trilogy

Final Fantasy VII Revelation picks up directly after Rebirth, following Cloud and the party as they head for the Northern Crater to stop Sephiroth before Meteor strikes the Planet. Square Enix describes it as the most expansive environment in the Remake series: the iconic Highwind airship is fully controllable this time around, and players can deploy from it via parachute to land anywhere on the map — a series first. Official screenshots already show coastal cliffs, open ocean, island chains, and dense jungle, with submarine traversal also confirmed.

A towering creature emerges from the ocean near an industrial platform in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Cid, Vincent, Wutai, and the FITS System

The full original-game roster is playable for the first time in the Remake series, with Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine now confirmed as party members. Locations include the ninja nation of Wutai — teased since Remake and finally arriving in full — alongside Mideel, the Midgar outskirts, and more.

Combat expands on Rebirth's action-RPG framework with the new FITS (Function Integrated Tactical Suitwear) system, which lets each character equip special gear inspired by classic Final Fantasy job classes, adding a new customisation layer on top of the familiar Materia setup. A "Wait Mode" slows combat during action selection, giving players more breathing room when managing a full party.

A character swings a massive buster sword against a large plant creature in jungle combat in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Spring 2027 Release — PS5, Switch 2, and PC

Final Fantasy VII Revelation is targeting a simultaneous worldwide launch in Spring 2027 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store — the first entry in the Remake trilogy to arrive on Switch hardware from day one. SGD pricing has not yet been announced; watch for local details from major game retailers and electronics chains closer to release.

The Highwind airship flies low over a turquoise ocean in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Gamescom ONL stream is free to watch on YouTube and Twitch. Singapore fans, set your alarm for 2am SGT on 26 August — or catch the replay the following morning. For more on game news including the latest PS5 and Switch 2 releases, stay tuned to GameTrader.SG.

FFXIV Is Now Live on Switch 2 — Free Trial Out, 30% Off Until 13 August

Final Fantasy XIV is officially playable on Nintendo Switch 2. Square Enix launched all four editions on 4 August 2026, and the Free Trial dropped alongside them — meaning you can jump into Eorzea on a Switch 2 right now at zero cost. If you have been sitting on the fence, there is also a time-sensitive reason to act: both Complete Editions are 30% off on the Nintendo eShop until Thursday, 13 August.

FFXIV raid party faces a massive dark boss on Nintendo Switch 2
Image courtesy of Square Enix

What the Free Trial Covers

The Switch 2 Free Trial mirrors what PC and PlayStation players have enjoyed for years: A Realm Reborn plus the first expansion, Heavensward, with a level cap of 60 and no time limit on how long you play. That is roughly 100-plus hours of story content, all fourteen job archetypes to experiment with, and full access to dungeons and trials included in those expansions — with no credit card required.

For Singapore players who have wanted to see what the fuss is about without spending anything, the Switch 2 version is as good an entry point as any. Singapore sits in the Asia data centre region (Elemental Data Centre), which consistently gives local players excellent latency whether they are at home on fibre or hopping on a MRT commute in handheld mode.

FINAL FANTASY XIV – Gameplay Trailer – Nintendo Switch 2 — via Nintendo of America on YouTube

Editions and the Sale Window

Four product options are available on the Nintendo eShop right now:

  • Free Trial — A Realm Reborn + Heavensward, Level 60 cap, no subscription needed
  • Starter Edition — Adds a subscription-ready base game (A Realm Reborn through Shadowbringers)
  • Complete Edition — Everything through the current Dawntrail expansion, 30% off until 13 August
  • Complete Collector’s Edition — All collector’s items across every expansion, also 30% off until 13 August

The discount applies only to the two Complete Editions and runs until 13 August. We covered the full edition breakdown and 117 GB download size before launch — the TLDR for SG players on home fibre: with average speeds well above 500 Mbps, the download typically takes under an hour.

FFXIV characters riding Chocobo and sheep mounts above a fantasy city on Switch 2
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Subscription — What Singapore Players Need to Know

FFXIV’s subscription on Switch 2 works a little differently from what you might expect. A few key points:

  • Subscription fees are waived for approximately one month following the platform’s release, giving everyone a head start.
  • A separate Switch 2 subscription is required, even if you are already subscribed on PC or PlayStation. It is not a cross-platform licence.
  • Existing subscribers get it at half price. If you pay the standard monthly fee on another platform, you can add the Switch 2 version for 50% of that rate — so playing on both your PC and Switch 2 does not mean paying twice in full.
  • A Nintendo Switch Online membership gives you one complimentary aetheryte teleport destination at 0 gil — a small perk but handy for managing travel costs early on.

The free month of play starts when you first activate the game, so there is no rush to log in on day one — though the Yo-kai Watch event running alongside the launch is worth catching sooner rather than later.

FFXIV party battles a massive green deity boss in an ornate arena on Switch 2
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Playing on the Go in Singapore

The Switch 2 version supports handheld, tabletop, and docked modes. Raid and trial content is fully playable in all modes, though a stable Wi-Fi connection is still recommended for multiplayer content — the Nintendo Online app can supplement with voice chat for coordination. Singapore’s widespread fibre and 5G coverage makes the Switch 2 a genuinely viable way to join Free Companies and run daily roulettes during lunch, on the bus, or wherever life takes you.

A lone FFXIV warrior faces a glowing ice crystal wall in a dark cave on Switch 2
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The free trial is available on the Nintendo eShop now. For more on the Singapore gaming landscape, check our Game News archive.

Creator Pulls Yang Can’t Live Alone from Manga UP! — Series Ends 13 August

Romance manga Yang Can’t Live Alone is leaving Manga UP! for good. Creator sooncha announced this week that the series will end on Square Enix’s global digital manga platform with the publication of Chapter 15 Part 3 on 13 August 2026 — cutting the story short before any planned conclusion — after what the creator describes as a complete breakdown in their working relationship with the publisher.

What Happened Between sooncha and Square Enix

In a statement to readers, as reported by Animehunch, sooncha was direct: “This time, due to the breakdown of our relationship of trust with Manga UP!, Yang Senpai will end.” The creator did not elaborate on the specific nature of the editorial dispute, and Square Enix has not issued a public response. What is clear is that sooncha is no longer willing to continue the series under Square Enix’s banner — and is now actively negotiating with the editorial department to reclaim the copyright so the story can potentially continue elsewhere.

This kind of public fallout between a manga creator and a major publisher is uncommon but not unheard of, and it raises real questions about the working conditions for creators on newer digital-first platforms like Manga UP!.

Yang Can't Live Alone Volume 1 cover by sooncha
Image courtesy of Square Enix Manga

About Yang Can’t Live Alone

Serialised on Manga UP! since December 2024, Yang Can’t Live Alone (Japanese title: Yang-senpai wa Hitori de Ikiteikenai) is a college-set romance manga by debut creator sooncha. The story follows Yuu, a serious and self-sufficient university student, whose routine is upended when Yang — an outgoing, puppy-like Chinese exchange student who seems to need a guardian just to get through the week — wanders into her life and asks her to be his bodyguard.

The English-language edition launched on Manga UP! Global and had been building a quiet but steady readership. Two compiled volumes are currently available in print through Square Enix Manga, with a third due on 6 August 2026.

Yang Can't Live Alone Volume 2 cover by sooncha
Image courtesy of Square Enix Manga

What Readers Need to Know Right Now

If you have been following the manga on Manga UP!, here is where things stand:

  • Serialisation ends 13 August — Chapter 15 Part 3 will be the final chapter on the platform.
  • Volume 3 still ships 6 August — Print publication is proceeding as planned. sooncha noted that production was too far along to halt, and advised readers who are uncomfortable with the situation to cancel their preorders if they choose to.
  • Rights situation is unresolved — The creator is in active talks to reclaim the copyright. If successful, the story could resume on a different platform or under a different publisher down the line. Follow sooncha’s official channels for updates.

For fans in Singapore who read the series digitally through Manga UP! Global, chapters will remain accessible until serialisation closes — but no new content will follow Chapter 15 Part 3 on that platform. Whether the story finds a new home is entirely contingent on how the rights negotiation plays out.

If you have been meaning to start Yang Can’t Live Alone, now is the time to catch up — and to keep an eye on sooncha’s official channels for any announcement about continuation. For more manga and anime news, head to our Manga Anime section.

FF7 Revelation’s FITS System, Explained

Square Enix has finally shown how combat will evolve in the last chapter of its remake trilogy, and it comes down to a wardrobe. Revealed at Summer Game Fest 2026, the FITS system is Final Fantasy VII Revelation‘s take on the classic Final Fantasy job system — and it lets you turn Cloud into a Black Mage without breaking a sweat.

FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION – Reveal Trailer — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

What is the FITS system?

FITS stands for Function Integrated Tactical Suitwear — Square Enix’s slightly tongue-in-cheek name for a set of job-based outfits that directly change how a character plays. Those new costumes the party wore in the reveal trailer weren’t just for show: each suit grants a fresh moveset and skills on top of a character’s core stats, layered over the materia and equipment you already know from Rebirth.

Speaking to GamesRadar+ at Summer Game Fest, director Naoki Hamaguchi called the job system “a pretty iconic factor of the Final Fantasy series as a whole.” He and combat director Teruki Endo landed on it while looking for ways to expand the hybrid battle system beyond Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Longtime fans will recognise the DNA: it’s a modernised riff on the jobs that have been part of the series since the very first Final Fantasy, and its outfit-driven presentation echoes the dress sphere system from Final Fantasy X-2.

Four FITS each, and Cloud as a Black Mage

The headline hook is flexibility. Cloud is a front-line warrior by default, but, as Hamaguchi put it, the goal is to let players “customize their characters based on their personal preferences” — so you can slot the Black Mage job onto Cloud and get a spellcaster who still carries his warrior traits. The team no longer wants party members locked into rigid tank or healer lanes.

Each playable character has four different FITS, a detail Hamaguchi confirmed on content creator Maximilian Dood’s stream, as relayed by Gfinity Esports. In the reveal footage the default look for everyone appears to be called Freelancer, with Cloud shown in a Warrior FITS and Tifa in a Black Mage FITS. “We’re taking it a step further in FF7 Revelation,” Hamaguchi teased.

FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION – Gameplay Introduction — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Why you can only swap FITS between battles

There’s one important catch. The remake trilogy’s combat already asks you to switch between characters on the fly, so letting you also swap jobs in the middle of a fight risked, in Hamaguchi’s words, making it “too complicated.” FITS changes are therefore locked to between battles — you plan your loadout before the fight, then commit to it. It’s a deliberate guardrail to keep the real-time action readable rather than overwhelming.

Cid battling a serpentine creature with his spear in Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Image courtesy of Square Enix

Vincent and Cid finally join the party

Introduced in Rebirth but never fully playable, Vincent Valentine and Cid Highwind are proper party members this time. Cid fights with his iconic spear and plays like “an aerial version of Red XIII,” according to Hamaguchi, while Vincent brings his own kit to the roster. Hamaguchi even admitted Vincent is “one of my personal favorites to put into my party” — so expect both to slot neatly into the FITS system’s job experiments.

Vincent Valentine aiming his glowing gauntlet in Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Image courtesy of Square Enix

A bigger, seamless open world

FITS isn’t the only expansion. Hamaguchi describes an “even bigger open world map” than Rebirth‘s, one you can drop into by parachute from the airship Highwind — which you’ll get roughly “five to six hours” into the game. Areas carry recommended levels, but “there won’t be anything physically blocking you” from wandering into tougher zones early. It’s the most open the remake series has been, and the FITS jobs give you more ways to tackle whatever you find out there.

Party members parachuting from the Highwind into the open world in Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Image courtesy of Square Enix

Release date and where Singapore fans can play it

Final Fantasy VII Revelation lands in Spring 2027, and — for the first time in the trilogy — it’s a simultaneous multi-platform launch. It’s confirmed for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store and Xbox on PC), per the official Final Fantasy portal.

That day-one spread is genuinely good news locally. FF7 Rebirth was a PS5 timed exclusive, so Singapore fans who game on Switch 2, Xbox or PC no longer have to wait — or pick a side — to finish Cloud’s story. No SGD pricing has been announced yet given the 2027 window, and it’s worth noting the trilogy’s finale assumes you’ve played the earlier parts, so newcomers here have plenty of runway to catch up on Remake and Rebirth first. We’ll update with local pre-order details closer to launch.

Close-up of Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Image courtesy of Square Enix

Between a deeper open world, two new playable characters and a job system that lets you rebuild the cast to taste, Revelation is shaping up as the most customisable entry in the remake trilogy. Hamaguchi says the combat has “reached its perfected state” — we’ll find out for sure in Spring 2027. For more on the biggest releases on the horizon, check out our other game news.

Studio SHAFT Drops First Trailer for Just Like Mona Lisa — Chika Anzai Cast as Lead

Studio SHAFT has released the first teaser trailer for Just Like Mona Lisa (Seibetsu “Mona Lisa” no Kimi e.), the upcoming anime adaptation of Tsumuji Yoshimura’s manga about gender identity and self-discovery. The teaser confirms Chika Anzai — known for Reina Kousaka in Sound! Euphonium and Filo in The Rising of the Shield Hero — as the voice of protagonist Nagishiro Mona.

TVアニメ『性別「モナリザ」の君へ。』ティザーPV|Anime “Just Like Mona Lisa” Teaser Trailer — via CyberAgent ANIME on YouTube

What Is Just Like Mona Lisa?

Tsumuji Yoshimura’s manga, serialised in Square Enix’s Monthly GFantasy, follows Nagishiro Mona — a student who was assigned male at birth but navigates life and relationships with a fluid sense of gender identity. The title draws on the Mona Lisa’s famously ambiguous expression and presentation, using it as a metaphor for Mona’s own position between binaries. The series has built a dedicated readership for its careful, empathetic portrayal, and the anime announcement was met with significant enthusiasm from fans of the source material.

Just Like Mona Lisa anime teaser visual showing protagonist Nagishiro Mona's eyes close-up
Image courtesy of CyberAgent ANIME

Studio SHAFT and a Fitting Creative Match

The adaptation is helmed by Studio SHAFT — the studio behind Madoka Magica, Monogatari, and Nisekoi — whose signature visual vocabulary of stark geometric framing, fragmented interiors, and lingering close-ups on expression makes it a stylistically apt home for a story that foregrounds interiority and identity. The teaser leans into that aesthetic immediately: the opening seconds are a slow pull into Mona’s eyes against a stark white backdrop, with text dissolving in and out rather than appearing on-screen.

Just Like Mona Lisa anime announcement illustration featuring Nagishiro Mona surrounded by staff celebration art
Image courtesy of CyberAgent ANIME

Cast and Release Window

Chika Anzai’s casting as Mona is the headline announcement accompanying the trailer. No supporting cast has been announced yet. A full premiere date has not been confirmed; the production is targeting a 2026 broadcast window. CyberAgent ANIME is handling production alongside SHAFT. For more anime news and coverage, visit our manga and anime section.

FF7 Revelation: Director on Ending, DLC and Advent Children

Spring 2027 is getting closer, and after months of fan speculation about how Final Fantasy VII Revelation ends — and whether Advent Children is canon here — director Naoki Hamaguchi finally sat down to answer the questions that matter. The interview, published on 1 August by Japanese gaming outlet Automaton Media (Japanese), has not been widely picked up in English media yet. Here is what Singapore FF7 fans need to know from it.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation official logo
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Main Story Will Complete in the Base Game — No DLC Required

The clearest thing Hamaguchi said, and for many fans the most important: the main story will definitely finish within the base game. “物語は本編で必ず完結します” — the story will definitely complete in the main game — as he told Automaton (Japanese). No cliffhanger requiring paid content to resolve, no mid-story cutoff. The trilogy wraps inside the box.

For Singapore players who have followed the series since Remake in 2020, that removes one major uncertainty from the Spring 2027 purchase decision. The game launches day one across all platforms — PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox) — so there is no platform wait involved either.

DLC Is Possible — But Only as a Side Chapter, Not a Sequel

Final Fantasy VII Revelation open world jungle area with a large ancient tree in the background
Image courtesy of Square Enix

That said, Hamaguchi did not rule out post-launch content. “If fans support it and demand is there, I would actively want to consider DLC for FFVII Revelation,” he explained, as relayed in the interview (Japanese). He was specific about what form it would take: something like Yuffie’s EPISODE INTERmission expansion from Remake — a self-contained story focusing on a single character, exploring a side narrative not covered in the main game. A supplement, not a continuation. The trilogy’s ending will not be held behind a paywall.

FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION – Reveal Trailer — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

The Advent Children Connection: “Not Denied”

The other big recurring question is whether Revelation’s ending will feed into Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the 2005 CGI film set two years after the original game. Hamaguchi’s answer was carefully phrased but significant: “We do not deny the Advent Children ending — rather, it is contained within this remake series,” he said, as translated from his remarks to Automaton (Japanese). He extended that to the full FFVII spinoff canon — Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core included — saying none of those storylines are being denied or erased. They are all folded into the remake universe.

Whether Revelation’s story actually connects forward into Advent Children, he declined to say: “Whether the timeline connects forward — I will not comment on that.” For fans hoping for a specific kind of ending, the non-denial is probably the closest hint they will get before launch.

Characters parachuting from the Highwind in a large open-world area in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Streaming Controversy, Put to Rest

Final Fantasy VII Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi photographed during his interview with Automaton
Photo courtesy of Automaton

Earlier in 2026, a remark Hamaguchi made in a separate interview — about story-driven RPGs and streaming culture being somewhat difficult to reconcile — spread widely, with some interpreting it as criticism of people who watch streams rather than buying the game. He addressed the misread directly: “I am not saying RPGs or JRPGs will decline because people watch streams and feel satisfied,” he clarified, as relayed in the Automaton interview (Japanese). His point was aimed at developers, not players — a challenge for creators to keep building games that feel worth experiencing yourself even after you have watched someone else play them.

Revelation’s approach to that is player-choice side content, where decisions across the side quests shift each character’s emotional framing heading into the finale. Each player’s version of the story will feel slightly different from what a streamer experienced. Stream-watching is fine; Hamaguchi just wants your playthrough to feel personal regardless.

Demos and New Info Coming Before the End of 2026

For those tracking what is ahead, Hamaguchi was encouraging: new information and playable demos will roll out “nonstop” through upcoming events — he did not name them but noted that fans would immediately recognise which events he meant. Square Enix has a full second half of 2026 ahead for conferences and showcases. More of Revelation, including hands-on time, should surface well before the year is out.

The full interview in Japanese is available at Automaton Media (Japanese). For more on the latest game news, check the GameTrader blog.

FFXIV’s Yo-kai Watch Event Returns 4 August — Launching on Switch 2 Day One

The Yo-kai Watch crossover returns to Final Fantasy XIV Online on 4 August 2026 — and in neat timing, that’s the exact same day FFXIV launches on Nintendo Switch 2. “Yo-kai Watch: Gather One, Gather All!” runs until 5 October 2026 and adds four new items on top of the full returning roster from previous events.

FFXIV Yo-kai Watch Gather One Gather All event duration August 4 to October 5 2026
Image courtesy of Square Enix / LEVEL-5

FFXIV Yo-kai Watch 2026 event start time in Singapore

The event goes live on Tuesday, 4 August at 4:00 PM SGT and closes on Monday, 5 October at 10:59 PM SGT — a nine-week window. To get started, head to Ul’dah, Steps of Nald (X:9.2, Y:9.1) and talk to the Poor-heeled Youth. Your character must be level 15 or above and must have cleared one of the three early main scenario quests — “The Gridanian Envoy,” “The Lominsan Envoy,” or “The Ul’dahn Envoy.” If you’ve been playing long enough to leave the starting city, you almost certainly qualify.

FFXIV Yo-kai Watch event quest start in Ul'dah Steps of Nald X9.2 Y9.1
Image courtesy of Square Enix / LEVEL-5
FFXIV Yo-kai Watch 2026 quest requirements level 15 and envoy main scenario quest
Image courtesy of Square Enix / LEVEL-5

New items added for the 2026 event

This is the fifth return of the crossover, and Square Enix has added four items that have never been available before:

  • Wibby-Wobbly Jibanyan furnishing
  • Wibby-Wobbly Komasan furnishing
  • Wibby-Wobbly USApyon furnishing
  • Yo-kai Watch Framer’s Kit (a housing item for displaying Yo-kai artwork in your in-game home)

The three new furnishings are not dropped — you have to earn them. Collect all 17 Yo-kai minions first, then head to Nohi at the Manderville Gold Saucer (X:5.2, Y:6.9) and purchase them using Manderville Gold Saucer Points. If you already completed the full minion set in a previous event, you can skip straight to buying.

All 17 Yo-kai minions and the Whisper-go mount

The full roster of Yo-kai minions returning in 2026: Blizzaria, Damona, Hovernyan, Jibanyan, Komajiro, Komasan, Kyubi, Lord Ananta, Lord Enma, Manjimutt, Noko, Robonyan F-type, Shogunyan, USApyon, Venoct, Whisper, and Zazel. Each is obtained by accumulating their specific Yo-kai Medals from enemies in designated zones while wearing your Yo-kai Medallium.

Collect medals for at least 13 different minions to unlock the Whisper-go mount — an oversized rideable Whisper that remains one of the more charming mounts in FFXIV’s library. All 17 Yo-kai Weapons also return, themed to each minion. And if you’ve been holding Yo-kai Medals from the 2016, 2017, 2020, or 2024 events, they’re all valid in 2026, per the official Lodestone event page.

FFXIV Yo-kai Watch how to collect Yo-kai minions via medals at Gold Saucer
Image courtesy of Square Enix / LEVEL-5

A good entry point for Switch 2 day-one players

For FFXIV players in Singapore picking up the Switch 2 version on launch day, the timing works out nicely: reach level 15, finish one of the envoy quests, and the event is right there waiting. That’s a few hours of main story — very achievable on launch weekend. The Switch 2 version launches 4 August with a free trial covering content up to Shadowbringers, so new players don’t even need to buy the full game to jump in. For the full schedule and latest Game News, check back on the blog.