Final Fantasy 9 Officially Returns In June With New Release

Final Fantasy 9 is easily one of the most popular games in the entire franchise, widely hailed among fans for its iconic characters and beautiful storytelling. It's near the top of the list when it comes to fan-requested reboots, and recent developments have left many FF9 Remake hopefuls feeling discouraged after a string of leaks suggests the rumored project is "on ice."

After Final Fantasy 9's 25th anniversary passed with no remake announcement, combined with the recent leaks, it's been a rough couple of years for fans. That said, leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, and given Final Fantasy 9's popularity and obvious demand surrounding an official Square Enix remake, players won't give up hope entirely.

Despite the recent bad news, hardcore Final Fantasy 9 fans will be able to grab an official new release from Square Enix and Merchoid this summer.

Final Fantasy 9 Returns With Official New Vivi Release

There's a brand-new Final Fantasy 9 collectible being released this summer from Merchoid that features the iconic character Vivi Ornitier as a plushie doll. It's an officially licensed action doll plush figure for Final Fantasy 9, and while the smaller version of the doll is available on the Square Enix website, a 31cm-tall version is being released this summer, available for pre-order now.

The unique plushie doll will cost a pretty penny, however, retailing for just under $150 USD, while the 21cm-tall version runs for roughly $50 less on Merchoid (with prices including shipping). Vivi, the iconic black mage from FF9 that captured players hearts, is also getting an exciting new prequel story in the form of an upcoming original picture book, set to release on May 19.

Further, nobody can deny the game's unmatched original soundtrack, and fans will want to check out the Final Fantasy 9 "House Grooves" album that remixes the legendary score in a "house style reimagining," available this month. So while players may feel disappointed about the recent FF9 remake news, there are still quite a few upcoming Final Fantasy 9 projects and unique collectible drops to look forward to.

Will We Ever Get A FF9 Remake?

At this point, the question for most fans about the FF9 remake is a matter of when, not if, and despite reports indicating the project is at a standstill with no release in sight, players remain optimistic about it happening eventually. After the success of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, the bar has been set very high, but it's also clear that interest in modern overhauled remakes for the Final Fantasy franchise is massive.