Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi says he used his position to argue for a physical release as much as possible. The compromise is a disc option that contains only the game’s opening: PS5 and Xbox Series X players will still need to download a substantial portion to play the full game, Eurogamer reports, citing Hamaguchi’s interview with Radio Times.

That distinction matters to collectors: a box and disc do not necessarily mean the game is complete on the disc. Hamaguchi said he understands why some fans are unhappy with the arrangement, while noting that the format decision was not his to make alone.

Hamaguchi says physical formats are a sensitive issue

Hamaguchi described having a personal attachment to physical games, recalling that he bought them as a child. He still wants a physical edition when he is particularly attached to a game, and said the subject has become especially sensitive in recent months.

Naoki Hamaguchi

The wider shift away from discs is part of that conversation. Sony announced on July 1 that it would stop producing discs for PlayStation games from January 2028; PlayStation games will still be sold at retail, but without a physical disc. The end of PlayStation disc production makes Revelation’s partial-disc approach feel less like an isolated wrinkle and more like a glimpse of where boxed games could be heading.

Hamaguchi expects physical media to stick around in some form, but can imagine a future where it is essentially disc-less: a code printed on paper and tucked inside a box. PlayStation’s plan to sell digital games at retail without discs points in much the same direction.

The disc is a key, not a complete game

Hamaguchi said the director’s job is to look after the game’s content, while the publishing team is responsible for product lineups, SKUs, and how a game goes on sale. That leaves his authority over the format limited, even if he can make the case for a physical edition.

He said he argued for one as much as he could, with negotiations taking place internally and with first parties before the one-disc approach was settled. The result is a key disc with the opening portion of Revelation, followed by a download for the rest on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

That is not the full-disc release some fans wanted. Hamaguchi said he understands people who disagree with the direction and those who take a “no disc, no purchase” stance; he also said he did his best to push for physical media. It is a candid acknowledgement of the gap between wanting a game on disc and having the authority to make that disc a complete copy.

Release detail Confirmed information Launch date April 8, 2027 Platforms Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S Disc version Available at launch; PS5 and Xbox Series X players must download the rest of the game Revelation launches in April 2027

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches on April 8, 2027, for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. A disc option is planned, but on PS5 and Xbox Series X it will be a starting point rather than a complete on-disc copy.

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