Though it doesn't contain anything new, Yoshinori Kitase recently addressed the FFVII Remake in a Q&A video over at EDAMAME Arcade Channel. Many thanks to Radigar for sharing this!
Transcription of 8:31 - 10:09.
E: How do you feel about the impact FINAL FANTASY has had on the gaming community?
K: After 30 years, it [is] great to see people who were once players now in the industry making the games
As we work on the FINAL FANTASY VII Remake, the staff grew up playing the [original] game…
They have a passion to make the best possible game
At the time I didn’t realise the impact the games had but now seeing fans become creators I understand
E: We are looking forward to the Remake
K: With the fans of the original making the Remake, the next generation of players can enjoy it…
Who in turn will make future games, it’s a great cycle I’m happy to see
We are currently working hard on the FINAL FANTASY VII Remake…
The major difference between the production of the original and the Remake is our ability to communicate with fans
E: Does that mean fans comments might influence the end game?
K: This time we can hear the fans voice while we make the game
E: So if I send in my ideas daily they might get used?
K: Maybe… we do read as many as we can so I feel this is a title we are all working on
I can enjoy the reminder that staff working on the game are players of the original and that they might have the emotional investment necessary to keep a proper pulse on development.
From the earlier part of the Q&A video, 3:44 - 4:18.
Question: Originally were Sephiroth and Aerith supposed to be brother and sister?
Kitase: ”FALSE”
Q: Do the events of FFVII take place over just two weeks?
K: ”TRUE” *unsure expression and repeated raisings of the TRUE sign*
Not sure… maybe
Q: FF7 and FFX take place in the same world.
K: ”TRUE” A little
The idea of Aerith and Sephiroth being at one point considered to be brother and sister is from the
Early Material Files in Page 519 of the FFVII Ultimania Omega. Them being siblings is mentioned as an idea that was "thrown around", so Kitase might not have been around during that specific plot discussion, he may think the idea was tossed around so briefly it doesn't count or he simply does not remember it.
At 5:20...
Q: Was FFVII an incomplete game?
K: ”FALSE”
...then further elaborated at 6:58 - 7:36.
K: That’s not the case at all
The first game is everything we wanted it to be
It is the finished complete product
Although it is true we were pushing the deadline towards the end of production
We had members from the Chrono Trigger and SaGa team helping us get it finished
FINAL FANTASY VII is definitely a team effort and thanks to everyones hard work a complete game
It's quite neat to read that game staff from those two games jumped in to help near the end of production. I don't remember hearing this specification before, though it's very possible I just forgot.
I also recommend
watching their earlier video where they first meet up with Yoshinori Kitase.
if possible.
