The long-rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake may have skipped the game’s 25th anniversary celebrations, but Square Enix clearly isn’t ready to let the beloved RPG fade from the spotlight. Between a steady wave of new merchandise and renewed chatter around a Final Fantasy IX animated series, fans are once again buzzing about what might be coming next for one of the most cherished entries in the franchise.
One of the biggest recent reminders comes from an anime project that’s had a rocky road behind the scenes. First surfacing in 2021, the series went quiet for years, and the situation took a dramatic turn when its original producer hit serious financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy in April 2025. Now, the project appears to be back on track: French company Euro Visual has reportedly stepped in to take over production, with plans to release Final Fantasy IX: The Black Mages’ Legacy in 2028.
According to details shared through French entertainment reporting, the show is being developed as a 2D animated series aimed at younger viewers, specifically kids aged 6 to 13. Instead of retelling the original game’s story beat for beat, the anime is expected to focus on the children of Vivi, one of Final Fantasy IX’s most iconic characters. The plot reportedly centers on a peaceful life in Alexandria with characters such as Mel, Koln, and Luciola—until trouble arrives, seemingly tied to the legacy of their father. For longtime fans, the premise lines up closely with earlier leaks and rumors that have floated around since the project was first mentioned.
Naturally, the anime’s reemergence is reigniting the bigger question: is the Final Fantasy 9 remake real, and if so, when will Square Enix finally reveal it?
Speculation about a Final Fantasy IX remake reached new heights in 2021 when the title appeared on a leaked Nvidia GeForce Now list. That leak has gained credibility over time, since seven of the eight games mentioned have since been announced or released. Even with that track record, Square Enix still hasn’t formally confirmed that a Final Fantasy 9 remake is in development, leaving fans stuck in a cycle of hope, rumor, and silence.
More recently, the outlook seemed uncertain. In October, a well-known leaker suggested that development on the remake could be on hold. If that’s true, the timing of the anime’s planned 2028 release becomes even more interesting—because major cross-media projects like an animated series often arrive alongside new games, remasters, or revival campaigns meant to pull new audiences into a classic world.
For now, Square Enix’s main focus appears to be elsewhere, with much of its spotlight aimed at the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is scheduled to launch on Switch 2 and Xbox in January, while Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is already available on PC and PlayStation. Fans are also waiting for the reveal of the still-untitled Part 3, which is expected to close out the trilogy.
Still, between the revived Final Fantasy IX anime and the continued marketing push behind the game’s legacy, it’s becoming harder to believe that Square Enix will ignore demand forever. Even if the Final Fantasy 9 remake didn’t appear for the 25th anniversary, the latest developments suggest the door remains open—and that the return to Alexandria may be a matter of “when,” not “if.”
