But it could come sooner

[Update: According to the Lifestream user who posted the transcript, the lengthy timeline jab was made in jest. We're still waiting on Square Enix's comment.]

While it's far from confirmed, I think we all could have expected that the Final Fantasy VII Remake is nowhere near done.

After hearing that the project has switched hands at least once and the team is basically re-imagining the entire premise, now, according to a behind closed doors conversation between producer Yoshinori Kitase and development lead Naoki Hamaguchi at the Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary celebration event, we have a guesstimated release window. It's...drumroll...by 2023, the 35th anniversary of Final Fantasy. Hamaguchi seemingly finds this unacceptable, so the team is working to have it out earlier, but that could be a very probably reality.

The transcript was obtained by someone attending the event, and we've reached out to Square Enix to corroborate the statement (and if they could have been referring to "all of the episodes" in this episodic release), and to get a possible updated release window. For now, that window could be "by 2023." If they don't offer a comment we'll probably get some sort of update during Square Enix's pre-recorded E3 video.

I think I speak for a large portion of onlookers by saying: "2023 is fine if it's done right, and could possibly get rid of the whole episodic angle."

Hian [The Lifestream via ResetEra]