Leak claims Final Fantasy 9 remake is on hold and was a smaller game than FF7 Revelation

Alex Donaldson, co-founder of RPGSite, has provided another disappointing Final Fantasy 9 remake update. The journalist claims that although development had reached an advanced stage, the project is now paused. He also shares insight into how Square Enix was taking a different approach than with Final Fantasy 7: Revelation.

The depressing state of FF9

In an overlooked ResetEra forum post, Donaldson revealed that the modernized FF9 “was a single game, and it was very far along.” Without divulging why, he says that the RPG “stalled out, and it's no longer moving forward.”

The information matches rumors from reliable insiders like NateTheHate. In June 2026, he echoed earlier statements about slow progress, prompting fears of a cancellation.

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Square Enix game, there were hopes for Final Fantasy 9 remake news. Instead, the publisher posted illustrations featuring popular characters like Zidane and Vivi. Donaldson believes that some of the artwork was intended for box art. Seeing it appear then suggested that a release date would not come anytime soon.

Contrasting philosophies

For now, the RPG factory is focusing on other titles and concluding a trilogy with Final Fantasy 7: Revelation. Yet the journalist doesn’t rule out the possibility of FF9 remerging. If it does resurface, it may be a scaled-down experience compared to recent remakes.

During a July 2026 fan festival in Berlin, Naoki Yoshida responded to requests to revisit other Final Fantasy games. The FF14 director and producer explained that the releases could require “four or even five installments.” Large AAA games can strain the resources of even well-funded studios.

Despite a warm reception for the latest trilogy, not all followers think they needed to be separate and expanded. With Final Fantasy 9, many players would welcome a straightforward reinterpretation, as hinted at in the new leak. Lacking vast open-world areas, it would also seem to pose fewer technical challenges for developers.