Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Director Reveals How The Witcher 3 Inspired Him

The brains behind the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, including the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, has gushed over The Witcher series, saying that the fantasy RPG titles greatly inspire his work.

In an interview with GameSpot, game director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed he frequently revisits The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to study how the game seamlessly blends open-world gameplay with climactic story cutscenes.

As a hugely cinematic series itself, it's not hard to see how Hamaguchi could find flashes of inspiration for the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy in masterful games like The Witcher—both games are practically built around action set pieces and dramatic confrontations.

FF7 Revelation Director Sings Witcher’s Praises

Hamaguchi didn’t hold back when asked about his inspirations, telling the outlet: “Final Fantasy 6 was a very impactful title for me when I was playing the games when I was younger, when I was a child. But as a creator, I would say that The Witcher 3 would fill that role of what inspired game creation.”

The Final Fantasy 7 Revelations director also heaped praise onto the game, saying he would often return to The Witcher and just “marvel at the things that that game excels at”, saying the third entry is one which he frequently revisits.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is often regarded as one of the greatest video games of all-time, winning over 250 Game of the Year awards when it first launched in 2016. Critics praised CD Projekt Red’s attention-to-detail, expansive high fantasy world and strong character writing.

Naoki Hamaguchi revealed he frequently revisits The Witcher 3 to study how the game seamlessly blends open-world gameplay with climactic story cutscenes.

Hamaguchi also name-dropped Guerrilla Games’ Horizon franchise as a key inspiration too, due to its sprawling world and detailed graphics. He said he used both games to study how to deliver “satisfactory moments” to gamers that feel “cinematic”.

Upon its release, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth were noted for their extremely high-quality cut scenes that resemble the work of previous animated films like Advent Children.

The Witcher Series Continues to Expand

As the work of CD Projekt Red continues to inspire countless video game developers, they want to prove the iconic Witcher franchise still has some juice in the tank and are gearing up for major releases that will attempt to wow fans once again.

The Witcher 3 will see a remastered edition launching later this month, which packs in massive graphical overhauls, updated combat and inventory systems, as well as other quality-of-life improvements to make gameplay more smooth for modern gamers. The remaster will be free for all previous owners of The Witcher 3, allowing them to dive back into one of the most-awarded games in history.

Also on the horizon for next year is a brand new DLC for The Witcher 3, titled Songs of the Past. The story expansion comes more than 10 years after the last package, Blood & Wine, released in 2016. Little is known about the direction of the DLC, but it will see Geralt of Rivia come out of retirement for one last adventure. The DLC is due to launch in 2027.

​​​​[CD Projekt Red] want to prove the iconic Witcher franchise still has some juice in the tank and are gearing up for major releases that will attempt to wow fans once again.

However, it's The Witcher 4 that most fans are patiently waiting for, which is currently being developed by CD Projekt Red and will be the next major installment in the high fantasy series. Only a teaser trailer has been revealed so far, showcasing new protagonist Ciri, the adoptive daughter of Geralt, taking on the mantle of her legendary father. No release date is set, but fans believe the game will launch no earlier than 2028.

Final Fantasy 7's dramatic conclusion to the remake trilogy will also launch next year, with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation coming on April 8, 2027. The game is set to feature the trilogy's largest open-world yet, with Square Enix hard at work to make it a finale to remember.