FF7 Developers' Original Plan Included Combat Closer To R...

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, A more dynamic combat system, to be sure.

Tetsuya Nomura Reveals OG Final Fantasy 7 Almost Had A Lot More In Common With The Remakes By Quinton OConnor Published Feb 1, 2026, 7:00 PM EST Quinton is a Staff Writer from the United States. In his youth, Quinton was ridiculed for making video game ranking lists instead of paying attention in math class. (shocking, we know)

In adulthood, people sometimes pay him for it.

The Details

Taking his first steps into the industry in 2020, Quinton has written for several digital publications, but his permanent literary home is right here at TheGamer. Before striking up a conversation with Quinton, consider the risks: he’ll find a way to transform almost any topic into an analysis of either world history, Star Trek, or - at least this one’s relevant to his career - all his favorite role-playing games.

Sign in to your TheGamer account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Final Fantasy 7 just turned 29, so, if you played the original at or near release, insert “we’re old” joke here. To celebrate the occasion, character designer Tetsuya Nomura—who has since gone on to have quite a career, including serving as a prominent voice in the ongoing Remake trilogy—d a seldom-seen bit of concept art.

Why This Matters

What’s more, he semi-casually spilled that FF7 almost had a big thing in common with the Remakes. In fact, it’s something that could not be realized until 2020’s notable, Midgar-centric, first chapter arrived on store shelves. “Johnny The Needle” The concept art, viewable above, comes courtesy of a tweet from Final Fantasy 7’s official Twitter account.

This is the kind of news that gets gamers talking across social media.

Key Takeaways

• The r e’s a lot to take in; I’m particularly fond of the dragons storming Midgar.
• Above the “early design” of Cloud, who I must say, doesn’t look far off from his finished look, there’s a gun-toting fellow named “Johnny the Needle.

The Bottom Line

The r e’s a lot to take in; I’m particularly fond of the dragons storming Midgar. Above the “early design” of Cloud, who I must say, doesn’t look far off from his finished look, there’s a gun-toting fellow named “Johnny the Needle.

How do you feel about this development?