Why did Final Fantasy 7 cost so much?
As a life-long Final Fantasy devotee, I‘ve endlessly geeked out over the sheer ambition that propelled the seventh installment to all-time greatness. FF7 didn‘t just meet expectations – it demolished them with technology, storytelling and gameplay that ushered the venerable franchise into a new era.
But revolutionary genius doesn‘t come cheap. Just how astronomical was the budget to realize FF7‘s cinematic vision? Let‘s dig into the details on why this renowned RPG cost over 3X more than average at the time!
An Unrivaled Development Army – Over 100 Staff Strong
The instant FF7 went 3D, Square knew they needed an unprecedented army to make it happen. Imagine transitioning such an icon from sprites to full 3D environments/characters – practically rebuilding gameplay systems from scratch!
Square assembled the largest dev team in history at the time, topping over 100 staffers split into multiple specialized sub-groups. Simply organizing a small city‘s worth of artists, programmers, designers etc. was a mammoth endeavor.
And we‘re talking about a 3-year odyssey in total! Most games then locked content in under 2 years. Just imagine the collective man hours poured into those 36 months…insane!
Pushing PlayStation‘s Graphical Limits
Beyond sheer team size, Square had to custom design advanced tools that simply didn‘t exist yet for crafting huge 3D worlds on early PlayStation hardware.
We‘re talking brand new proprietary engines, animation rigging, physics systems – this tech needed to render real-time combat/exploration without slowdown. And remember – no Unity or Unreal back then!
These technical demands meant hiring many specialized programmers and artists for the engine lifts. All while implementing experimental workflow pipelines enabling well over 100 creators to collaborate.
The Cinematic Factor – Over $3 Million Alone!
…
Every Last Gil Added Up for This Timeless Masterpiece
When all was said and done, over $45 million had been funneled into one of gaming‘s most important titles.
Consider that most SNES RPG epics capped budgets under $15 million – FF7 tripled that investment with no guarantee of success. But Square was clearly playing 4D chess, knowing PlayStation‘s installed base could support a theatrical blockbuster production.
In my humble opinion, every last Gil contributed to an all-timer that still stands the test of time. And for all younger gamers who don‘t understand the historical significance – I hope this sheds light on why FF7 remains peerless!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments fellow adventurers! Did Square‘s risky budget machinations pay off? Can FF7 ever truly be surpassed? I want to hear your hot takes!
