Final Fantasy VII Remake continues to generate buzz as its arrival on Nintendo Switch 2 shapes up to be one of the console’s biggest launches. Early hands-on impressions from both media and players at recent gaming events agree: the RPG looks stunning and runs smoothly.
In an interview with AUTOMATON Japan, Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy VII Remake, discussed the technical work behind this version and shared his thoughts on Nintendo’s new hardware.
The Key Role of Lighting
According to Hamaguchi, the secret to making the game shine on Switch 2 lies in lighting. “I believe lighting is the crucial factor when it comes to graphical quality and expression today,” he said. By focusing on lighting techniques, the development team was able to reduce some secondary visual effects while still achieving an impressive overall look.
Hamaguchi also confirmed that the game runs at a stable 30 frames per second, ensuring a consistent experience both on TV and in handheld mode.
The Challenge of Handheld Mode
Hamaguchi acknowledged the technical hurdles of Switch 2’s portable mode, which scales back performance to conserve battery life. A simple port wasn’t enough. “We had to ask our talented rendering programmers to work on further optimizations to achieve stability,” he revealed.
Despite the limitations, Hamaguchi expressed pride in the result: “I’m extremely happy that, in some way, we became a model case for a high-level game adapted for Nintendo Switch 2.”
Praise for the Hardware
The director closed with strong praise for Nintendo’s new system: “In our experience, if you use the hardware correctly, you can deliver games at the quality players expect. My honest opinion is that Nintendo Switch 2 is an impressive piece of hardware.”
With these comments, it’s clear that Square Enix has high expectations for Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch 2—one of the most anticipated releases in the console’s early lineup.
Are you excited to see Final Fantasy VII Remake running on Switch 2? What do you think about the optimization work Hamaguchi described? Let us know in the comments.
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