Breakdown
- A sales analyst recently pointed out how Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been underselling compared to the first Remake.
- The statement on X sparked discussion on the credibility of this statement and its sources.
- The community has since been discussing many factors that might have resulted in this difference in sales.
Despite the universal praise and critical acclaim received by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the game isn't doing as well as expected in terms of sales.
Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad reported that the game has only made half the sales of Final Fantasy 7 Remake within the same time frame.
For those of you wondering, Daniel Ahmad is currently the director of research and insights at the gaming market research firm Niko Partners. This fairly well-reputed game analytics company seeks insights into the industry and its trends.
The comment came unprompted on a totally unrelated post, and when asked to justify his claim he said "It's selling about half of what Remake sold in the same timeframe and looks like it'll have a weaker tail (prior to any PS+-like release)."
Of course, all this would be nonsense if not accompanied by a credible source. When asked to name his sources he simply replied that his information is sourced from "equities research reports, who are getting the data from the usual trackers".
However, it's important to note that both games were released under different circumstances.
Final Fantasy Remake was released back in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was under lockdown with tons of time to spare. Furthermore, it released on the PS4 near the end of its lifespan, while also launching pre-inflation. Final Fantasy has also been declining in popularity in Japan.
On the other hand, Final Fantasy Rebirth launches several years after the hype of the first remake on the PlayStation 5 with a steeper price tag. The PlayStation 5 has also sold fewer copies than the original but it should also be noted that PlayStation 5 users are dying for more exclusives.
Regardless, these numbers and statements should be taken with a grain of salt until we get official confirmation from Square Enix. Until then, we'll have to wait and see what Square Enix has to report in their next annual earnings conference to get a concrete figure on how well Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sold.
These figures could change as Final Fantasy 7's trilogy might not remain a console exclusive. Meanwhile, the devs are already hard at work on the third entry.