Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.

It’s been nearly three decades since Final Fantasy Tactics first hit the original PlayStation, but it seems fans have only a few more months to wait before they can relive—or discover—its strategic magic all over again. In a rare behind-the-scenes look, the team at Square Enix finally opened up about the long-rumored remaster, now officially named The biggest surprise? It’s been quietly cooking since 2018.

A Stream, A Nostalgic Moment, and a Spark

What led to the remaster wasn’t some big boardroom pitch or market demand. It started with a live stream.

Back in 2018, to coincide with Final Fantasy XIV’s Return to Ivalice Alliance Raids, a special Niconico Douga broadcast showcased the original Final Fantasy Tactics. During the second week of the stream, Kazutoyo Maehiro—who had already been deep in the trenches with FFXVI—found himself playing the classic strategy RPG again, this time joined by none other than Yasumi Matsuno (the original game’s director) and FFXIV’s Naoki Yoshida.

The vibe was casual. But something clicked.

Maehiro realized how captivating the game still was, but couldn’t ignore the friction: old UI, awkward controls, and outdated visuals.

That moment lit the fuse.

Development Delayed—but Not Forgotten

Though the idea for a modern remaster took root in 2018, it didn’t get the greenlight right away. Maehiro was already neck-deep in Final Fantasy XVI.

It wasn’t until development wrapped on FFXVI that he could focus on FFT. But once it started, the team knew exactly what they wanted this project to be—and more importantly, what they didn’t want it to be.

No War of the Lions Content—And Here’s Why

Some fans are going to raise eyebrows here: The Ivalice Chronicles won’t include any of the extra content added in the 2007 War of the Lions PSP version. No Balthier, no extra scenes, and no added job classes.

Maehiro explained the choice pretty bluntly.

He wanted this version to feel like the “definitive” original FFT. Not a blend of ports. Not a collage of content.

The logic? Simple:

• New players deserve a clean slate, not a patched-together hybrid.

• The team wanted the 2025 version to reflect what the 1997 version was meant to be.

• And maybe—just maybe—it’s okay for some things to stay in the past.

In a way, this remaster is a time capsule—but polished to actually work in 2025.

Platforms, Release Date, and What to Expect

Here’s where it gets real.

Square Enix has confirmed the full lineup for Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. It’s not skipping any corners:

• Nintendo Switch

• Nintendo Switch 2

• PlayStation 4

• PlayStation 5

• Xbox Series X

• PC

Circle the date: September 30, 2025.

That means this remake will land almost exactly 28 years after the original hit Japanese store shelves.

No word yet on a physical collector’s edition, but let’s be honest—one’s probably on the way. Square knows its audience.

Development Timeline and Team

A quick breakdown of the remaster’s long road:

Fans Are Torn, But Hype Is Real

The fanbase is split, no surprise there.

Some are thrilled the game is going back to its roots. Others are disappointed that content from War of the Lions won’t make the cut.

Social media’s already buzzing with reactions. Some fans on Reddit are calling it “the only game that could justify a new Switch purchase.” Others? Not so sure.

One user summed it up: “This is the best worst news I’ve heard all year.”

And yet, the excitement is hard to ignore.

One Man’s Passion Project

What’s striking about this whole development story is how personal it feels.

Maehiro didn’t start with a pitch. He started with a feeling. A quiet evening playing a game that meant something to him, with friends and collaborators who were there when it was born.

From that spark, a remaster grew—not for trends, not for nostalgia’s sake, but because someone genuinely believed it deserved another shot.

That kind of sincerity? Pretty rare in big-budget game development.