Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo imminent as PlayStation Store leak reveals opening chapter details
Square Enix is releasing a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo that is widely expected to drop after the game’s State of Play presentation.
The free trial will mark the first time fans of the fantasy RPG will be able to go hands-on with the upcoming title.
Whereas the full game arrives on February 29, PlayStation appears to have mistakenly revealed the release date of the demo through a trailer on the PlayStation 5 dashboard.
The clip, which appeared on the evening of February 5, claimed the trial version was “available now". But, to the dismay of fans, the demo listing on the store didn’t work.
When is the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo out?
Players looking forward to the second part of the epic remake trilogy shouldn’t be too disheartened by the premature announcement.
PSN confirms that a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo is coming tomorrow (says it's "out now" but I think the trailer was meant for tomorrow)
"...allowing you to step into the shoes of either Cloud or Sephiroth during the Nibelheim episode" pic.twitter.com/T9YbqGqQIN— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 6, 2024
Most onlookers reckon the demo’s release date is imminent. The consensus is that it will arrive soon after the game’s dedicated State of Play showcase later today, February 6.
The bad news for Brits is that the online preview doesn’t start until 11.30pm in the UK — and on a school night. There will be some bleary eyes in the office tomorrow.
What is the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo about?
According to the leaked trailer, it sounds like the demo will let you play as Cloud or Sephiroth during the Nibelheim episode.
“Uncover the opening chapter of the game's story and explore the world map. Your adventure, your choice," the description reads.
The Nibelheim Incident unfurls through a flashback in the original Final Fantasy 7, which came out in 1997 on PS1. As told by Cloud, the sequence acts as an origin story for Sephiroth, revealing the events before he turned evil, when the pair got a chance to team up.
We got a taste of the game’s opening during our hands-on back in September — and boy were we blown away. In case you’re wondering, Sephiroth is as fearsome as you’d expect. Armed with his legendary blade, Masamune, he can blaze through the game’s super-sized critters with ease.
We also played through a second section that introduced a new aspect of Rebirth: a fully explorable, open-world area set around the heavily industrialised city of Junon and the downtrodden fishing villages around it.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth pre-orders
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is available for pre-order now in standard and deluxe editions. The latter gives you the base game, an Orchid bracelet, a Reclaimant choker, and digital versions of the soundtrack and art book for £85.
You can also get the first game’s Intergrade DLC and Rebirth bundled together in a twin pack for £70. A digital deluxe twin pack, meanwhile, gets you all of that plus the extra goodies mentioned above for £85.