Final Fantasy 10 Drops Special Movie As 25th Anniversary Surprise

Final Fantasy 10 is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Square Enix has just honored the occasion with a surprising new release. After previously revealing that the HD Remaster of Final Fantasy 10 and Final Fantasy 10-2 would be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio is now investing more thoroughly in building up to its launch.

Currently, Square Enix is selling a collection of 25th anniversary merchandise and running a fan art contest to feature art on Final Fantasy‘s official website and social media channels. Those who aren’t inclined to invest either money or time in these prospects, however, can still enjoy the 25th Anniversary Special Movie released today.

Available on the official Square Enix YouTube channel, the Final Fantasy 10 25th Anniversary Special Movie celebrates the game’s emotional story with a series of cutscene and gameplay clips accompanied by character voice-overs. Calling it a “Special Movie” might be a bit generous, as the whole affair is under two minutes in length, but it does carry a somewhat more reverent tone than a typical game trailer.

The Final Fantasy 10 25th Anniversary Special Movie is soundtracked by “Zanarkand” (popularly called “To Zanarkand”), an emotional piano piece that serves as the game’s main theme. Those who haven’t yet played the game and know little about it might want to skip the video, as it hints at some of Final Fantasy 10‘s bigger emotional moments, but it stops short of explicitly spoiling the characters’ struggle to fight against Sin.

Final Fantasy 10 doesn’t seem to be getting a Final Fantasy 7-style remake project any time soon, but the 25th Anniversary Special Movie and impending Switch 2 release are strong reminders that it doesn’t really need one. The cinematic presentation of the original game holds up well today, and as long as you can tolerate some corridor-like segments, the gameplay remains just as compelling.

Final Fantasy 10‘s 25th anniversary is shared with Final Fantasy 4‘s 35th, as both games released in Japan on July 19 in their respective years. Square Enix also shared a new interview with key figures behind both games today on the official Final Fantasy website, including some previously unseen sketches and storyboards as a bonus. Hopefully, we’ll see some similar celebrations when the 40th anniversary of the original Final Fantasy and the 35th anniversary of Final Fantasy 5 roll around next year.

Released

December 17, 2001

ESRB

T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

PhyreEngine