The Final Fantasy VII Remake official account confirmed that the Intergrade version of Final Fantasy VII Remake will arrive on January 22nd on the new Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Xbox. The announcement, which came along with a fun question about choosing one between the elevator or stairs in the iconic Shinra Building, also mentioned that the digital pre-purchase of the game will grant the player the original 1997 Final Fantasy VII game as a bonus. This is the very first time that the outstanding remake will be on the Nintendo and Xbox platforms, so it is not really a shock that the number of gamers has been increased greatly.
The thing is like, the major news has at last come, and it is a big deal. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will be available in almost every place next January, and it is going to be a non-PlayStation-exclusive title. Besides, people who digitally pre-order will not have to pay for the original game. This is… really a good deal? For instance, the new players who have only heard of the myths will not just get the gorgeous remake but also the original that started it all. Well, practically two games for the price of one! The people with physical copies, however, are already unhappy as they will have to access the bonus through digital means. One user named NOODZ 🍜 was actually cancelling pre-orders over it and even referred to the situation as “unreal.” Oops.
Anyway, coming back to the tweet, it is like a nostalgic masterclass. “Elevator or stairs?” Quite a question indeed, as it surely splits the FF7 fandom into two distinct groups. And what follows in the replies can only be described as chaos and love. It does indeed feel like a small poll of player preferences. The stairs lovers are very prominent. Gamer Tifa proclaims: “ALWAYS take the stairs” for Barret’s song and the “hilarious” banter. Then, Stephen Clark replies with a salute emoji and a pic of the stairs. Tyrell Coleman calls the character interaction “just too good.” Finally, CommanderZaktan goes theatrical with the entire intense scene: “Cloud: Guys…. Tifa: WHAT?! Cloud: The door’s locked… Tifa: sobbing Barret: The sound of ultimate suffering” which, let’s be honest, is perfection.
Certainly, the elevator squad also presents some valid points for their choice! Roni asserts that it’s quicker and, of course, the most obvious reason. RedheadButNotReally dug in deep with the lore, claiming that Mayor Domino’s tirade alludes to the elevator scare, thus making it the “canon answer.” MargotxAerith feels so because “Cloud puts Tifa in her place.” Oops! The thread is filled with shipping wars, did not see that coming today. Besides, there are also the ridiculously funny meta answers. unshod_laze91 said, “First, go up by the elevator. Then come down by the stairs. Finally, go back up by the elevator. lol” which is just the most gamer thing ever, optimizing for… something. Content? Steps? Who knows.
It is truly fascinating to witness how this one minor decision in a 25-year-old game can still bring about such vivid memories and fierce debates. User octaslasher2 couldn’t have said it better when he mentioned that being in the Shinra HQ during the Remake was “wild” and that is where the game “shines the most – when it faithfully recreates the iconic moments.” That’s magic, isn’t it? The remake takes these non-existent memories and gives them back with such finesse and vigor. AAWLIET had the same opinion, stating that the side-by-side comparison of the classic and remake Shinra building “still gives me chills.”
And speaking of chills, DorkyWarrior just dropped a truth bomb: “The ost in the shinra building is 🔥”. Exactly. The music is a major component of the experience. The Irish Video Game Orchestra even said, “Taking the stairs means more music.” They are right!
It’s quite amusing, though, that even during the love fest, the typical gamer nitpicking still continues. Some replies mocked “purists” complaining about the “color of the purple and yellow stairs” being different. AnimexPlayer wrote: “Average purist: Colors and contrast in remake are shit, OG was better waaaaaa 😭😭😭😭”. It is truly a cycle as old as time.
Well, Square Enix teams up with the players in a smart way. They are not only transferring a game but also giving an experience and a historical piece as one package. They are directly tapping into that community feeling, that common memory of a certain staircase or elevator ride.
