Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sales struggle against 2020's remake
Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been some time coming, and even though we'll have to wait even longer for the remake trilogy to conclude, fans have been shocked, stunned and thrilled on their adventure so far.
The 2024 fantasy epic proves that Square Enix's remake structure has worked its magic on what may be the biggest and best RPG in history in terms of critical attention and fan affection. Now, fans are beginning to wonder if the rest of the franchise could be in for similar experiences.
First, we need to breach the launch period of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth if we want to look to the future - and it looks like sales aren't quite matching up to its predecessor.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth struggles against Final Fantasy 7 Remake sales.
With the data that we have right now, it looks as though Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth isn't having the exact same sales splash that its predecessor, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, did at launch.
As first revealed by Christopher Dring on Twitter, UK boxed sales of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's opening weekend stands with 30% less when compared to the series' first game. Although the digital data is just around the corner, we're left with the impression that the second remake isn't living up to expectations.
It's expected that being released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic had something to do with the sales of the first game doing so well, with many having more time to play. Still, as Rebirth was supposed to be one of 2024's biggest games, the shift may still have shocked Square Enix.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's digital sales could save it
Click to enlargeThere's still a chance that the game can pull through and impress through digital sales. We'll have to wait to see what those numbers look like, but as we've moved into a new console generation since the first game - offering a bigger focus on buying digital games - there's still a strong chance that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth can impress.
Sales-wise, we simply don't have all of the cards to see yet, but when it comes to critical and fan-led love, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is crushing it right now. The future is bright for Rebirth and its sequel, and players aren't willing to let go of the game just yet. In many ways, that's the most important thing.
