Final Fantasy 9 Marks 25th Anniversary with New Projects and Remake Speculation

Final Fantasy 9 unveiled its 25th anniversary website, teasing a range of upcoming projects. Discover the details of Final Fantasy 9’s milestone celebrations and what future endeavors might await.

Final Fantasy 9 Honors 25th Anniversary in 2025

New Anniversary Website Debuts

Square Enix launched a dedicated website to celebrate Final Fantasy 9’s 25th anniversary in 2025. The site highlights plans for "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations, to mark this milestone."

The anniversary website showcases an array of FF9-themed merchandise, from character figures and plushies to vinyl records, CDs, and storybooks. Square Enix also hinted at additional announcements in the lead-up to the anniversary.

Originally released on July 7, 2000, for the PlayStation, Final Fantasy 9 sold over 8.9 million copies globally. It was later included in Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box in Japan in December 2012. A remastered version arrived on iOS and Android in February 2016, followed by a PC port later that year. The game also launched on PlayStation 4 in September 2017 and on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Windows 10 in February 2019.

FF9 Remake Rumors and Delayed Anime Project

With the anniversary website’s launch, speculation about a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake has intensified. Following the success of Final Fantasy VII’s Remake and Rebirth, an FF9 remake seems plausible. In a 2019 poll by Japan’s NHK, FF9 ranked as the fourth-best Final Fantasy game. While the anniversary site makes no mention of a remake, the game’s enduring popularity fuels anticipation.

Another project, the FF9 anime series, remains in limbo. Announced in 2021 as "Final Fantasy IX: The Black Mages’ Legacy," the series was set a decade after the original game, focusing on the six children of the iconic black mage Vivi. No updates have emerged since the initial reveal.

Square Enix partnered with Paris-based Cyber Group Studios, which secured distribution and merchandise rights for the anime and planned to produce it in-house. However, Cyber Group Studios filed for bankruptcy in October 2024 and entered judicial recovery. Several companies, including United Smile and Newen Studios, have shown interest in acquiring the studio’s assets and continuing the FF9 anime production.