Final Fantasy 9 Legends Officially Return October 2026

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Published Jul 17, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT

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It feels like Final Fantasy 9 is always in the conversation for the best Final Fantasy entry. While it might not win every poll, its merits are always discussed, as it sought to restore the "classic" Final Fantasy feel largely embodied in the first six games.

Final Fantasy 7 and 8 took us into a more modern era, then Final Fantasy 9 brought us back. It'll always have a fandom based on how well it accomplished that goal, especially at the time.

Now, we know that there are signs of life from Final Fantasy 9, as at least one legend from the game will return in October (via GR).

A grinning Quina, celebratory Vivi, and scowling Steiner from Final Fantasy 9 amid a hail of fire.

Among other Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy 9 will be a part of Final Fantasy Resonance, which is set to arrive on October 22 later this year.

If you haven't seen the announcement yet, here's a quick overview: "Return to the pixel‑art world of Final Fantasy, evolved from its classic roots. Travel with companions bound by fate and call on Visions to aid you in battle to uncover the truth behind a force that threatens to bring everything to ruin."

Those "Visions" will take the form of classic characters. Right now, every mainline Final Fantasy game is represented, with characters like the Warrior of Light from the very first game, all the way up to Clive from Final Fantasy 16. But the real news here is that Zidane will be a Final Fantasy 9 addition, and hopefully, we'll get more confirmation on additional Visions soon.

As a change of pace, Square Enix is promoting this game as "pushing the limits of pixel art" and as the "first HD-2D" game in the series. Airships, espers, crystals, and classic designs like Moogles are confirmed too.

To be clear, this is actually a redux of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, a gacha mobile game that was released in 2015, and ceased operations in 2025. People are actually excited about Resonance because it's launching on consoles (as well as PC), and Square Enix has noted it will receive the same care as a mainline entry.

In other words, expect Final Fantasy Resonance to be somewhat like Octopath Traveler 0, where the whole game is redone in a premium format. It has a lot of eyes on it now because of Square Enix's bold claims, but the nostalgia angle definitely helps sell it to fans.