Video game developers are constantly under pressure to make the best titles they can. That goes double for when they’re working in an established franchise or have made a hit game and are asked to follow it up. With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the pressure increases exponentially because of various factors. First, the previous entry in the “remake saga” was a smash hit and “rewrote” the world and characters that fans loved in certain places. That means the sequel could be just as “shifting,” and that has caused some problems amongst “some fans.” By that, we mean people have been bombarding the Square Enix team with messages and demanding that certain things don’t happen in the sequel.
It literally got to the point where one of the team members asked fans to stop sending messages of this nature to them. Many GOOD fans saw this request and decided to put a spin on it. They would continue to send messages, but they would do it under the hashtag “ThankYouFFVIIDevs” and send positive messages their way.
It’s a lovely touch, and here are some of the messages that fans gave using that hashtag:
Why are we so moved by this? Well, we currently live in a world where things are rather bleak, where negativity is everywhere, and people will easily fall into “bad habits,” to put it lightly, to make their voices heard. The team at Square Enix took many years to ensure that their remake title was near-perfect for fans, and they’re doing the same for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. They KNOW that fans want the most from it and are hoping that certain things will happen. Whether they do or not is not up to the fans but to the dev team and their overall goal for the saga.
But even if we step away from Square Enix, there’s been plenty of negativity towards developers and publishers over the years. Now, yes, there are times when it’s warranted, such as when Activision Blizzard was caught harassing their workers or when certain companies laid off a bunch of staff. But there’s a difference between stating your thoughts on these matters and harassing those who caused the problem. Two wrongs don’t make a right, as cliché as it sounds.
Yet, with this situation, it’s wonderful to see how far fans went to showcase their love for the Square Enix crew and all they did. Let’s hope more trends like this continue.
