Naoki Yoshida: Final Fantasy VI Remake Needs 4 or 5

Square Enix producer Naoki Yoshida has poured cold water on the idea of remaking Final Fantasy VI in the same high-fidelity, multi-game style as Final Fantasy VII’s remake era, saying a project of that scale would likely need four instalments—or even five.

Yoshida says a VI remake would be “4 or 5” games

Speaking at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 over the weekend, Yoshida (also the producer of Final Fantasy XVI) addressed long-running fan speculation about remake projects for other classic Final Fantasy entries—especially Final Fantasy VI.

Yoshida’s argument focused on production scope. He said remake projects like Final Fantasy VII’s reimagining take far more time and effort than many people expect, and that Final Fantasy VI’s overall scale would be so large that Square Enix would likely have to split it into multiple releases. In his view, that means four parts, with the possibility of reaching five.

He applied the same reasoning to other frequently-requested remakes, including Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX. Yoshida also referenced how long Final Fantasy IX has been discussed, noting it was rumoured for a long time before vanishing from reports.

Event: Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 (held over the weekend)
Speaker: Naoki Yoshida (Final Fantasy XIV director/producer; also produced Final Fantasy XVI)
Claim: A Final Fantasy VI remake could require 4 or 5 instalments

Previous remarks point to an even longer timeline

This isn’t the first time Yoshida or other top Final Fantasy leadership has suggested that a modern remake of Final Fantasy VI would take an enormous amount of time.

In 2024, Yoshinori Kitase said a modern retelling of Final Fantasy VI would take 20 years to make. Yoshida’s comments at the 2026 fan festival echo that sentiment, but frame the challenge around needing multiple instalments rather than a single blockbuster release.

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No announcement was made that Final Fantasy VI is actually in development as a remake. Still, Yoshida’s remarks clarify how Square Enix leadership views the effort required for high-end remake work—especially when a project’s ambition would force it into a multi-part release structure.

For now, the only concrete takeaway is the likely direction of discussion: if Square Enix ever revisits these classic titles in the “Final Fantasy VII remake” style, expect more emphasis on splitting the work across several games to manage the scope.