In 2021, the NVIDIA GeForce Now leak revealed a long list of upcoming games. Although the leak was met with some skepticism at first, most of the reveals, which included remakes of Final Fantasy Tactics And Chrono-Crossas well as brand new games like Kingdom Hearts 4turned out to be true. However, there was one highly anticipated element: a remake of Final Fantasy 9.
Now, a new report from a well-known leaker suggests the remake may never happen. NatetheHate, an industry insider with a history of providing credible information on upcoming titles, seems to think that the game has been shelved and that Square Enix may have completely crushed the project. Ff9 is a fan-favorite game, and a remake is highly anticipated by fans, but it doesn’t look like an announcement will be made anytime soon.
Updated October 16, 2025 by Mandi Odoerfer: This article has been updated to provide additional context on the Final Fantasy 9 Remake leaks as well as other projects that appear to have been canceled, such as the Final Fantasy IX: The Black Mages’ Legacy animated series.
Final Fantasy 9 Remake Could Be Canceled
Since the first Final Fantasy 9 leak, there have been rumors of behind-the-scenes issues with the game. While some leakers reported that the game was well into its development, NateTheHate said it was in trouble earlier this year. Now, he has made it clear that there is no new information about the game, and he assumes that development of the title has completely stopped.
I have no new information to share.
For now, I guess the game is on ice and the unknown is whether or not SqEx will return to it.
– NateTheHate2 (@NateTheHate2) October 17, 2025
It is possible that the Ff9 remake was a victim of the “Square Enix Reboots and Awaken” plan, which would have led to the cancellation of several projects in development. According to Square Enix, the reboot aims to address the company’s declining profits and streamline productivity.
Even if the first two Final Fantasy 7 remake games received critical acclaim, Rebirth failed to meet sales expectations, so it’s possible that Square Enix is wary of big-budget remakes. That said, the company continues to remake other titles, including the most controversial Square Enix game of 2000, so the reasons for the cancellation could run deeper than that.
Of course, any news from Final Fantasy 9 The remake’s cancellation should be taken with a grain of salt, especially since the game was never officially announced or confirmed. If these rumors are true, it’s possible that this game will never see the light of day.
Could the Final Fantasy 9 Remake still be in development?
Even if the Ff9 The remake was never officially announced, it seems clear that Square Enix had big plans for the title. An animated series, Final Fantasy IX: Legacy of the Dark Magesis reportedly in development, but the animators behind the project, Cyber Group Studios, filed for bankruptcy in November 2024. Although some reports claim that buyers have bid on the project, there have been no announcements so far, and it appears that it has been canned.
2025 marks the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy 9and many fans were hoping that Square Enix would take this opportunity to announce the remake. However, the company only revealed Ff9 so far, and as the end of the year approaches, it seems increasingly unlikely that a big anniversary announcement is on the way.
Although NateTheHate believes there are problems with the remake, he has not provided any information on the nature of those problems. It is possible that Square Enix planned to announce or release the Ff9 remake during the game’s anniversary year, but it fell behind schedule.
The company may also have decided to shelve the project due to quality issues. Ff9 is one of the most loved games in the world Fantasy Finale franchise, so Square Enix wouldn’t want to take any risks with its reputation. It’s easy to imagine the company abandoning a game like this if the quality isn’t up to par.
Even before the leaks, fans were dreaming of a Final Fantasy 9 remake, and it’s possible the game will still arrive at some point in the future. That said, NateTheHate’s comments strongly suggest that this won’t happen anytime soon. It’s not too late for Square Enix to surprise fans Ff9 announcement of the remake at The Game Awards, but for now, a 2025 reveal seems like a fantasy.