Final Fantasy VII Remake Impresses on Nintendo Switch 2: Director Highlights Visual Breakthroughs

Final Fantasy VII Remake is generating significant excitement as it prepares for its debut on the Nintendo Switch 2.

With its critical success on previous platforms, the game’s transition to Nintendo’s next-generation console has been met with anticipation from both the gaming press and longtime fans.

Recent hands-on impressions from trade show demos indicate that the RPG classic looks and feels exceptional on the new hardware, prompting questions about how developer Square Enix has achieved such striking visuals within the Switch 2’s portable form factor. In a recent interview with AUTOMATON Japan, Final Fantasy VII Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi offered insights into the studio’s technical approach for the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

Hamaguchi emphasized that striking the right balance in game visuals was a matter of skillful use of lighting.

By prioritizing advanced lighting techniques, the developers managed to maintain strong visual fidelity while reducing reliance on other resource-intensive graphical effects.

This strategy allowed the game to deliver impressive graphics and solid performance, achieving a consistent 30 frames per second on Nintendo Switch 2. Hamaguchi noted that while the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware boasts impressive technical specifications, its portable design necessitates performance considerations—particularly to manage power consumption in handheld mode.

“The Nintendo Switch 2 features significant hardware capabilities,” he explained, “but with the constraints of battery life, we had to optimize the game beyond a straightforward port.

Our rendering programmers invested substantial effort to ensure smooth performance, especially when running in handheld mode.” According to Hamaguchi, effective lighting plays a vital role in today’s video game graphics, saying, “I believe lighting is one of the most crucial aspects for achieving high-quality visuals and expressive detail in modern game development.” By making lighting a core focus in development, Square Enix was able to set a benchmark for how large-scale, high-end titles can be ported to the Nintendo Switch 2 without sacrificing player expectations for quality or playability. Reflecting on the project’s outcome, Hamaguchi expressed pride in the team’s accomplishment and the hardware’s capabilities: “It’s extremely rewarding to demonstrate that with thoughtful use of the hardware, it’s possible to deliver the fidelity that players expect from Final Fantasy VII Remake.

In our experience, the Nintendo Switch 2 truly stands out as a remarkable piece of hardware.” With a successful optimization effort and glowing early feedback, Final Fantasy VII Remake is poised to raise the bar for major third-party releases on Nintendo's upcoming system.

Fans looking forward to experiencing Midgar’s world on-the-go will have a visually stunning and seamlessly performing title to anticipate upon the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch.

Nintendo Switch 2 Final Fantasy Nintendo Switch Nintendo Final Fantasy VII Remake Switch 2 Switch Final Fantasy VII Naoki Hamaguchi Square Enix AUTOMATON Japan