Square Enix has causatively made a beautiful announcement that very much surprised the fans of Final Fantasy VII. They have shown the world the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Rebirth Twin Pack Physical Edition, the box that brings the first two games of the remake trilogy in three PlayStation 5 discs. The launch is set for December 4th, and players can now have all of Cloud’s retold saga in one box. Yet, the announcement has caused a lot of debates on the internet, not all of them being positive.
What is the story behind this Twin Pack? It is a physical collector’s dream for those who have meticulously waited. You will get the Remake’s PS5 version, which has been upgraded, dubbed Intergrade, as well as the huge second part, Rebirth, all on one disc. If you are one of the fans of physical media, your days of dealing with pesky cases are over. But here is where things start to get tricky in the replies. Gamers were very quick to start their searches for the data, and one of the questions that seems to crop up often is: is the Yuffie downloadable content actually on the disc?
To be precise, the earlier Intergrade version on PlayStation 5 included a digital code for the INTERmission Yuffie episode. This is considered a no-no for preservationists and collectors who aspire to own the entire package in a physical manner. A forum user, Samson Wick, rather blatantly inquired, “Need to know if this actually has updated builds and complete content on disc, or if it is just a repackaging of the original retail discs.” And he is not alone in raising such a query. Senior Ricketts replied to another user, saying, “We know that it comes with the DLC. We want to know if the DLC is on the disc. Please read 💀.” The plea for a reply is unmistakably loud and clear. Perhaps the post by Square Enix will provide the answers, but gamers are loudly demanding verification right in the tweet replies.
In addition, there is the whole… timing of this release. The trilogy is far from being completed. Part 3 is still on the waiting list, so to speak. Consequently, it is going to be a matter of possess parts 1 and 2 and then be waiting for a single third game box if you buy the twin pack. User Literario73 put it rightly when he said, “That’s a weird thing to buy, because then you will have part 3 on its own.” It is definitely a tenable argument! Why not just hold on tight till the complete trilogy collection is out, which is inevitable? A lot of players have already decided to do that. User SamSevenPro stated, “Will wait for the full trilogy pack,” and HiroesX81 reiterated, “I will get this when it’s all 3. If that’s even doable. 5 years tops baby.” There is a strong feeling that perhaps patience could be the better strategy in this case.
And oh boy, the Xbox players are feeling totally left out. User Bawful_ spoke out for the disappointed majority: “Good lord. Yet ANOTHER physical run for the PlayStation but absolutely nothing for Xbox? I would buy the game for Xbox if it were a physical copy. I am NOT buying a digital game though.” This has always been the case with the series on Microsoft’s console, and it is clearly a sore point. The exchange even got to the point of people saying that Xbox players must switch to another platform if they want to build a physical collection, which is just adding insult to injury.
Oops, what was I saying? Oh yes, the release. So the date is December 4th. However, another problem cropped up right after that User Denzim Hindmarch commented with a screenshot, “Apparently, it’s already sold out.” If this is true, that is simply cruel to a physical release that has just been announced. It nicely ties in with the fears about bots grabbing all the limited stock, which is a whole other nightmare for gamers trying to get stuff.
Some users even go so far as to question the logic behind this bundle. Joeyo2511 asked, “Why not wait for part 3 to drop and make it a full game bundle? How many times are you going to milk FF7R by making bundles when the full series isn’t even out? Are you that desperate for money?” It’s a harsh viewpoint, but it’s the truth that this may be a cash grab before the final chapter comes, and the rumor of a supposed limited-time price tag is only fueling people’s worries about the financial aspect.
No doubt the announcement brings a lot of cool things. For one, getting two huge games on a single disc is quite alluring. But, the players’ feedback is very mixed: excitement, skepticism, and a lot of practical questions. Will the content be available on disc? Should they do the waiting bit for a trilogy pack? Will Xbox get a physical copy? Will there even be any left? Clear as day, Square Enix has stirred up a commotion among the players. The flip side, however, is that they have left a gigantic gap that needs filling with clarifications. For now, if you are still in the mood for it, then mark December 4th on your calendar, but may be keeping your expectations in check and your fingers crossed for that all-in-one collection somewhere down the line. The saga continues both in-game and in the fandom.
