Beloved PS4/PS5 Game Loses Console Exclusive Status in 2026, and That's for the Best

PlayStation built its reputation on must-play exclusives, but now one of the best and brightest consoles is jumping to other platforms. Really, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series consoles in January 2026, which could be read as Sony losing ground on its hottest IP. However, reality Final Fantasy VIIevolution is more complicated.

Although it is one of the highest rated games of 2024, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth according to Square Enix's September 2024 financial results briefing, it missed sales expectations. It's unclear exactly what the company's expectations were before the game was released, but many speculated that they were quite high. At the same financial briefing, Square made the announcement Final Fantasy 16a limited-time PlayStation exclusive, also sub-par. Both of these statements followed a May 2024 announcement that Square Enix would “aggressively pursue” a multi-platform release strategy, indicating a clear desire to put some distance between itself and Sony in the foreseeable future. This is all good for the company's profit margins and overall revenue, but what does it mean for the people who actually play these games?

Forspokenanother Square Enix PlayStation exclusive released in 2023 also reportedly underperformed.

The remake and rebirth of Final Fantasy 7 deserves to be bigger

Final Fantasy 7 Remake & Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Switch 2 and Xbox release date: January 22, 2026

Maybe Square Enix had extremely high expectations Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's sales, but that wouldn't be entirely unreasonable given the scope of the game. You can feel the money pouring into it as you play: FF7 Rebirth it has top-notch graphics, a ridiculously vast open world, considerable gameplay variety through minigames and the like, and some of the best set pieces the JRPG genre has ever seen.

For better or worse, publishers (especially giants like Square Enix) expect significant ROI, as FF7 Rebirth and FF7 remake. More than this, it brings Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Remake to other platforms, further increasing the IP's reach and visibility, helping it accumulate a wider player base. This isn't just good for Square Enix; it's good for consumers too.

Better sales of the remake and the rebirth of FF7 will likely mean more Final Fantasy remakes

While it's somewhat debatable — old-school fans have criticized it for, for example, spoofing or demeaning the original game — Final Fantasy VII the remake saga is undeniably popular overall. The games can be a bit over-the-top at points, but it's a fun, impressive, mechanical-sounding remake FF7 a story adapted for a modern audience. And for those who don't like remakes, the original Final Fantasy VII it's still there, untouched and in all its late 90s glory.

The bottom line is this: Final Fantasy's remakes have value not just as nostalgic lures, but as contemporary action RPGs that stand up against their modern competitors. One can easily imagine the potential of a Final Fantasy 8 remodel, at least; even relatively newer Final Fantasy games like Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy 12could be recreated with modern visuals, combat, side content and quality of life features.

But as artistically and entertainingly promising as these hypothetical remakes may be, they won't come to fruition unless Square Enix finds such ventures profitable enough. With that in mind to bring Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth to the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series platforms may be a prerequisite for development and funding. In other words, if the audience wants more Final Fantasy is remodeling, they should also want the current remodeling to generate more revenue. To make this happen, a multi-platform release strategy is wise.

Are there any downsides to bringing FF7 Remake & Rebirth to Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S?

Console exclusivity is often a strange thing: the “loss” of exclusives can be seen as detrimental by some gamers, who may feel that such a loss undermines their investment in that console. This is a fair, if not necessarily complete position, and there are other arguments against which to oppose Final Fantasy VIIRemakes 's also go cross-platform. For example:

Development Support: Sony is known for offering support to Square Enix studios developing PlayStation exclusive products. This could decrease or stop altogether if the companies continue to grow.
Competition: There is also the concern that without big console exclusives, there will be less of a reason to exist on multiple platforms, which could lead to some companies moving away from consoles and less competition in the gaming space, leading to less incentive to make great games.
Performance: While the Switch 2 is more powerful than its predecessors, it still lags behind the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on the hardware front. This could result in compromising scope, scale or visuals in the future Final Fantasy projects.

These are drawbacks worth considering, but they hardly outweigh the benefits it brings Final Fantasy VII remake the saga on other consoles. Besides, more sales and visibility are the future Final Fantasy it's more likely that cross-platform releases are user-friendly and ensure that all players can enjoy these upgraded titles regardless of where they choose to play.