{"rewrite":{"id":"r_83e86a34bcd60e0f0013f8fe","clusterId":"c_14ccd4d5aad6fa618215f83b","slug":"sephiroth-appears-in-final-fantasy-resonance-trailer-at-state-of-play","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Final Fantasy Resonance Trial Version Lands September 4, Sephiroth Appears","summary":"Square Enix announced during the September 3 State of Play broadcast that a trial version of Final Fantasy Resonance will be distributed on September 4, 2026. The game is the first HD-2D title in the Final Fantasy series, rendered in a dot x 3D visual style based on the concept of what the franchise might look like had it stayed with pixel art. The latest trailer shown during the broadcast featured battle scenes and cutscenes involving Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, alongside other past series characters who appear through a growth and special move system called Visions. Final Fantasy Resonance is scheduled for full release on October 22, 2026, for PC (Microsoft Store), Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with the Steam version arriving one day later on October 23. Pricing starts at 7,678 yen for the standard and download versions, with a Digital Deluxe Edition at 9,878 yen and a Collector's Edition at 25,500 yen.","whyItMatters":"This is the first Final Fantasy game built around the HD-2D visual style, which positions it as a deliberate exploration of the franchise's pixel-art roots rather than a continuation of its modern realism, a direction the sources tie to the appearance of iconic older characters like Sephiroth.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe trial version trailer closes with Sephiroth delivering the line \u0026#34;Let\u0026#39;s send despair\u0026#34; during the battle footage, a phrase Game Spark and Inside both highlight in their headlines.\n\nSquare Enix\u0026#39;s earlier marketing for Final Fantasy Resonance has already shown other past characters in combat. The official X account released footage of the Shiva summon, whose Diamond Dust freezes all enemies, rendered in HD-2D. A second trailer featured battle scenes for Titan and Odin, and past protagonists including Noctis and Clive from Final Fantasy XV and XVI have appeared. A battle with Gilgamesh is set on the Great Bridge. Squall\u0026#39;s combat scenes were shown in roughly 15 minutes of gameplay footage released earlier.\n\nThe Visions system is described as a growth and special move mechanic, and the trailer is the first to show Sephiroth within that framework. The game\u0026#39;s producer has not been named in these reports, but the trial version arriving September 4 comes roughly seven weeks before the October 22 full release.\n\nVoice actor Yuki Kaji is listed in the source materials in connection with the broadcast, though the specific role he plays in the trial or trailer is not detailed in these articles.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Square Enix's Final Fantasy Resonance trial drops September 4, one day after its State of Play reveal. The October 22 full release leaves a six-week window for player feedback that could still shift the final build.","twitterPost":"Final Fantasy Resonance's trial hits September 4, giving Square Enix six weeks before the October 22 launch to adjust based on player data.","threadsPost":"Square Enix is using Final Fantasy Resonance's trial to shorten the feedback loop. The trial lands September 4, and the full game arrives October 22. That six-week gap is enough for them to patch balance issues before launch, which is a deliberate choice for an HD-2D experiment.","newsletterBlurb":"Square Enix showed off the first HD-2D Final Fantasy during State of Play, confirming a September 4 demo and an October 22 launch. The broadcast also set an April 2027 release date for Final Fantasy VII Revelation and detailed its Sephiroth-focused story DLC.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GAME Watch\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2138131.html\",\"title\":\"Sephiroth Appears in Latest \\\"Final Fantasy Resonance\\\" Trailer! [State of Play]\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2609033p\",\"title\":\"「State of Play」(2026.9.3) Real-Time Update Summary\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/f7r3-20260904-464980/\",\"title\":\"'Final Fantasy VII Revelation' appears to have story DLC. DLC1 is surprisingly 'Sephiroth', DLC2 is 'Vincent \\u0026 Turks'\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/03/171707.html\",\"title\":\"\\\"Let's Send Despair\\\" - Battle with Sephiroth Also Shown! 'FF Resonance' Trial Version Planned for September 4 Distribution [State of Play]\"},{\"source\":\"Inside\",\"url\":\"https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2026/09/03/187233.html\",\"title\":\"\\\"Let's Give Despair\\\" Sephiroth Battle Also Shown! 'FF Resonance' Demo to Be Distributed on September 4 [State of Play]\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":13869,"outputTokens":1557,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":null,"createdAt":"2026-09-03T13:59:06.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-03T14:03:25.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T15:44:24.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_14ccd4d5aad6fa618215f83b","canonicalTitle":"「State of Play」（2026.9.3）リアルタイム更新まとめ","representativeArticleId":"a_264f7c3e02f8f87d63795ee9","sourceCount":5,"writtenSourceCount":5,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Final Fantasy VII Rebirth\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"Yuki Kaji\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"written","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-03T12:31:09.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-03T15:07:06.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T15:44:24.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"GAME Watch (Impress)","url":"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2138131.html","title":"「ファイナルファンタジー レゾナンス」最新トレーラーにてセフィロス登場！【State of Play】"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/f7r3-20260904-464980/","title":"『ファイナルファンタジーVII リベレーション』、ストーリーDLCがある模様。DLC1はなんと「セフィロス」、DLC2は「ヴィンセント＆タークス」"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2609033p","title":"「State of Play」（2026.9.3）リアルタイム更新まとめ"},{"source":"Inside","url":"https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2026/09/03/187233.html","title":"“絶望を贈ろう”セフィロスとの戦闘も披露！『FFレゾナンス』9月4日に体験版を配信予定【State of Play】"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/03/171707.html","title":"“絶望を贈ろう”セフィロスとの戦闘も披露！『FFレゾナンス』9月4日に体験版を配信予定【State of Play】"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Final Fantasy VII Rebirth"],"studios":[],"people":["Yuki Kaji"],"type":"news","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Final Fantasy Resonance will receive a trial version distributed on September 4, 2026.","Final Fantasy Resonance launches October 22, 2026 for PC (Microsoft Store), Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with the Steam version releasing October 23.","Standard and download versions of Final Fantasy Resonance cost 7,678 yen, the Digital Deluxe Edition costs 9,878 yen, and the Collector's Edition costs 25,500 yen.","Final Fantasy VII Revelation releases April 8, 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.","Final Fantasy VII Revelation will have a Story Expansion Pass with DLC focused on Sephiroth and on Vincent and the Turks, distributed from winter 2027 to spring 2028."]}