Overview
- This week director Naoki Hamaguchi told reporters the boxed PS5 and Xbox disc will act partly as a digital key because shipping the entire game on discs would have forced compromises to fidelity and quality.
- The move departs from the earlier Final Fantasy VII Remake entries, which shipped complete across multiple discs, and effectively turns the disc into a download-dependent install on current consoles.
- Fans on social platforms have criticized the download requirement, arguing multiple-disc releases are possible and warning that requiring downloads undercuts resale, lending and long-term access to purchased games.
- Journalists say Square Enix has not supplied technical details about the claimed fidelity trade-offs and suggest plausible reasons include a much larger final file size, added manufacturing cost for extra discs, or unfinished optimizations.
- Reports indicate Square Enix is unlikely to reverse the decision before the April 8, 2027 launch, a development that echoes wider industry shifts away from full physical releases and could affect collectors and second-hand markets.