Final Fantasy VII Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi has explained why the game’s physical editions on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will require an additional download before they can be played. Speaking in a new interview with IGN, Hamaguchi said the development team considered a physical setup similar to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth but ultimately decided against an approach that would force compromises to the game’s fidelity and overall quality. Square Enix has separately confirmed that both console versions require an internet connection to download additional game data.
The requirement had already drawn attention after Square Enix opened pre-orders for Revelation earlier this month. The PS5 and Xbox physical editions require additional data to be downloaded, while the Nintendo Switch 2 version uses a Game-Key Card and needs at least 130GB of available storage. Unlike a traditional complete-on-disc release, buyers will therefore need an internet connection before they can play the physical console versions.
Hamaguchi said the team initially discussed using the same kind of disc arrangement employed for Rebirth. According to the director, however, doing so would have meant compromising the fidelity and quality the developers wanted for Revelation. He said the team did not want to make those sacrifices, leaving a physical disc combined with a digital download as the most realistic option for the final game in the trilogy.
That marks a notable change from the earlier entries. Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth both shipped on multiple discs on PlayStation, allowing their launch versions to be installed without downloading the remaining core game data from the internet. Revelation instead comes on a single disc for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Square Enix requiring the missing game data to be downloaded before the title can be played.
The decision is especially significant because Hamaguchi had previously spoken publicly about wanting Revelation to receive a physical release at all. Earlier this year, while Square Enix was still finalizing its product lineup, he said the company was discussing how to handle physical editions as the wider games market continued shifting toward digital distribution. Physical versions were later confirmed alongside Revelation’s April 8, 2027 release date.
The Switch 2 edition takes a different approach but reaches a similar outcome for buyers who want a boxed copy. Square Enix says that version will ship as a Game-Key Card rather than a cartridge containing the full game data, meaning the software must be downloaded during the first launch. That stands in contrast to releases such as Stellar Blade Complete Edition on Switch 2, which is confirmed to include its full game on a conventional 32GB cartridge.
Square Enix has not disclosed exactly how much data is contained on the PS5 and Xbox discs or how large the required additional download will be. The company has only stated that an internet connection is necessary to download extra game data in order to play those physical versions. The Switch 2 listing is more explicit, specifying that at least 130GB of free storage will be required for its download.
Hamaguchi’s explanation makes clear that the decision was framed internally as a technical tradeoff rather than simply an attempt to abandon physical media. He said he was happy the team was able to release a disc version at all while acknowledging concerns raised by fans after pre-orders opened. For collectors and players interested in long-term offline preservation, however, the result remains the same: Revelation’s boxed PS5 and Xbox editions will not be fully playable from the disc alone.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation is the third and final entry in Square Enix’s remake trilogy and is due to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC on April 8, 2027. The game is being positioned as the largest entry in the trilogy, with expanded exploration using the Highwind, a broader world and new combat systems. Hamaguchi’s comments suggest that maintaining that scope and technical ambition was ultimately prioritized over fitting the complete launch build onto physical media.
