FF7 Revelation director calls streaming a 'crisis' for RPGs that lack player choiceFF7 director thinks watching streamers is a 'crisis' for linear RPGs

Hamaguchi's comments reflect a growing anxiety among AAA RPG developers about the economics of linear, story-driven games in a streaming-first culture. If a $70 RPG offers the same experience whether you hold the controller or watch someone else do it, the value proposition erodes. The FF7 Remake trilogy has notably leaned into combat-choice mechanics and branching paths — and Hamaguchi is now framing that as a survival strategy, not just a design preference.

this is a AAA director straight-up admitting that linear RPGs are economically vulnerable in the streaming era. if your $70 game plays identically for viewer and player, why buy it? hamaguchi's not just theorizing — the FF7 remakes have been adding more combat systems and player agency each installment, and now he's connecting that directly to the streaming problem. other studios are doing the math too.