For five years, Square Enix promised us they were remaking Final Fantasy VII.

Square Enix said it would be an expanded but faithful remake into a new series. They assured us that changes would be minor, and it would be a more or less faithful recreation of the original.

We’ve had our doubts. We wondered why it didn’t say “Part 1” if the sole town of this game would be Migdar. Once again, they assuage our fears. They continuously guaranteed that the Final Fantasy VII Remake would not need a subtitle, as it was not a spin-off or sequel to the original game. We let our guard down again, and our suspicions were abated.

And then, the cover. The box art was so convincing. It gave us hope that it would, in fact, be the start of the most ambitious remakes in gaming history.

For five years, they hid their true intentions for a project they labeled “Remake”. For five years, Square Enix tried to market this project as a remake. For five years, they lied.

What we got was a sequel to a spinoff (Advent Children: Final Fantasy VII), that functioned as a reboot to Final Fantasy VII. The newer elements radically alter the story to the point where it is something entirely news, and something else altogether. And the reveal does not happen until the very end of Final Fantasy VII Remake.

We have been had. Pre-order sales were the goal, to project a healthy financial outlook of the company for shareholders, the true audience of Square Enix.

Yet, there are those who still are unaware of what the Final Fantasy VII Remake truly is. Many people, even to this day, are purchasing the remake. The false narrative runs so deep, that most people are unaware of the true nature of the “Remake”.

This is much more than false advertisement. The deceptive marketing practices have tainted Square Enix as a dishonest company for years to come.

Square Enix intentionally misled their fanbase by baiting our nostalgia.

Square Enix lied. The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a scam.