Final Fantasy VII Revelation will let players skip the grind. Director Naoki Hamaguchi told IGN Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2026 that the last part of Square Enix’s remake trilogy will offer to raise the party to the recommended level whenever it falls short at a main story checkpoint [1]. Some players are delighted; others think it misses the point of a JRPG. The game launches on April 8, 2027 [3].
Final Fantasy Revelation Adds Instant Leveling
Hamaguchi described the feature during Square Enix’s third-day presentation at the show, broadcast live through IGN Japan [4]. If the party reaches a main story section below the recommended level, the game asks: ‘Would you like to automatically raise [your level] to the recommended level?’ Say yes, and the whole party is brought up to strength for the fights ahead [1].
According to DualShockers, players will not even have to wait for those prompts: the option can be switched on from the menu at almost any point, whenever a difficulty spike gets in the way [4].
The idea is to let people follow Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart and Barret Wallace to the end without detours. Hamaguchi says it means Final Fantasy VII Revelation can be played almost like a linear game, rather than the enormous open-world RPG it actually is [2].
Balancing Main Campaigns and Massive Side Quests
The feature is a direct answer to complaints about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in 2024. GamesRadar+ notes that many players wanted to trim the fluff around that game’s 40-hour campaign [2], and those who skipped the side quests and open-world activities often reached the tougher bosses badly underleveled [4].
Hamaguchi did not dodge the point. “Naturally, because we’ve prepared so much side content, [a player’s] level might not quite reach the requirement for the main story,” he told IGN Japan. “There were voices [from players] saying, ‘Even though you say I don’t have to do the side content, if I don’t do it and make my characters stronger, I end up struggling.'” Optional content that was not really optional is exactly what the new prompt is meant to fix [1].
Navigation is the other half of the problem. A world this large can wear out players who prefer a linear path, and Hamaguchi admitted the team has heard both complaints. “There are people who want to explore, and there are people who don’t want to get lost,” he said, adding that some players found the existing guidance “a bit intrusive or in the way.” His answer so far: “We are currently considering things like toggling that guidance on and off” [1].
Community Debate Over Traditional JRPG Friction
The auto-level news spread fast, and so did the backlash. Critics called the feature too hand-holdy, and the most viral response came from veteran game artist TheCartelDel on X: “We need to have a serious discussion about how games used to be a unique method to teach kids and teens about patience, delayed gratification, and working hard to accomplish a goal — and now we’re designing away the need to persevere at all. You will learn to overcome nothing” [1].
Others were less dramatic but just as unhappy. “I like the FF7 remakes. I really do,” one user wrote, before complaining that every piece of Revelation news feels like it is aimed at “people who don’t like playing games.” Another drew a line many RPG fans would recognize: “Having options to FACILITATE the experience is ALWAYS good, but there’s a difference between facilitating and ELIMINATING the experience” [1]. Supporters answer that a large part of Rebirth’s audience simply wanted the story’s big moments without hitting a wall at every boss fight [4].
What the critics sometimes skip is that nobody is forced to use it. Decline the prompt and levels are earned the old way, through fights, hunts and side quests [2]. Final Fantasy VII Revelation simply offers both routes, and the open world itself stays the same size either way [4].
Expanded Traversal and 200GB Install Footprint
The option matters more because of the game’s size. Hamaguchi says completionists will need “at least 100 hours” to see everything. Navigating such an expansive geography requires diverse traversal systems, ranging from Chocobo riding and walking on foot to piloting the Highwind airship with Cid [1], [5].
The story picks up with Meteor bearing down on the planet and the WEAPONs (giant monsters that rise to defend the planet) awakening, as Cloud and his friends prepare for their final confrontation with Sephiroth. Cid and Vincent become full party members, and the map opens up to include Rocket Town and Wutai [5].
Hamaguchi also addressed Cloud’s near-absence from the trailers so far. Cloud is still the main character, he said; the team simply knows fans want to see more of the rest of the cast [5].
All of that takes space: Hamaguchi puts the final installment at about 200GB. It also explains earlier reports on how FF7 Revelation balances disc data and download quality [5]. Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches on April 8, 2027, including on Nintendo Switch 2 [3].
Modern Accessibility Trends in Classic Franchises
Square Enix is not alone here. Recent Final Fantasy re-releases have added quality-of-life options aimed at players who mainly want the story [3], and GamesRadar+ sees the wider genre moving the same way, with the old mandatory grind giving way to features that “laser-zap all the little chores.” In its words, a new definition of the JRPG says a game can be dense and immersive “without making you want to slam your head against Sephiroth’s abs” [2].
None of this means the series is losing its sense of humor. Hamaguchi has also confirmed that the Moogles are back, and this time they are training to become a pop idol group [2]. Players can spend hours on that, or level up with one button and head straight for Sephiroth.
The argument will go on until launch, and probably after it. For now, the auto-level prompt looks less like the end of the JRPG than an admission that Rebirth asked too much of players who just wanted to see how the story ends. Final Fantasy VII Revelation arrives on April 8, 2027 [3].
- ONLINE NEWS Glaze, V. (2026, September 21). ‘You Will Learn to Overcome Nothing’ — Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Will Let You Automatically Level Up Your Characters, but Not Everyone Is Happy About It. IGN. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Bardhan, A. (2026, September 21). Final Fantasy 7 Revelation lets you automatically level characters and blast through the campaign after Rebirth players begged director Naoki Hamaguchi for a break from the JRPG grind. GamesRadar+. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Carlos. (2026, September 21). Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will let players automatically level up to focus on the main story and skip grinding. Nintendo Everything. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Garcia, T. (2026, September 21). Final Fantasy VII Revelation Feature Lets Players Skip the Classic JRPG Grind. DualShockers. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Harradence, M. (2026, September 21). Final Fantasy VII Revelation Players Can Raise Their Level Automatically To Skip Grinding Process. PlayStation Universe. [Article Link]
