Among the series' many entries,Final Fantasy 7has endured the longest in players' memories. In fact, this entry has remained so beloved over the decades that developer Square Enix announced that they would be revisiting the game with the aptly namedFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,and fans are already comparingthe two versions of the game. However, recent reports indicate that the game might be losing its widespread appeal.
In a survey by Japan’s public broadcasting channel NHK, over 400,000 Japanese fans listedFinal Fantasy Xas their favorite game. WhileXis also beloved byFinal Fantasyfans (and itsNintendo Switch remaster received critical acclaim), its victory might come as a surprise to devotees of the series' classic entries.
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WhileFinal Fantasy 7took second place in NHK’s overall popularity poll, the game’s cast easily took first place in two of the other three categories. Iconic protagonist Cloud Strife topped the charts as the series' most popular character, while7’sKnights of the Round won the most popular boss/summon category. However,Final Fantasy X’s soundtrack clinched the music survey, with the beloved song “To Zanarkland” taking the lead.
Although these survey results might seem surprising to some, a closer analysis of the data reveals whyFinal Fantasy Xultimately won.Final Fantasy 7was more popular with older fans, with 47.9% of its voters being 30-39 years old, and 23% of its fans being even older. However,Final Fantasy Xwas ultimately more beloved by younger fans, as 35.3% of its voters were 20-29 year old. This popularity also extended to7’score audience. 35.1% ofX’svoters were also 30-39 years old. Ultimately, despite thenostalgia behindFinal Fantasy 7,X’swider appeal ultimately allowed it to achieve victory.
It will be interesting to see howFinal Fantasy 7’s remake will shape its perception and popularity with future audiences. However, the game’s second-place position does not discount its current cultural impact. To this day, fans are still talking aboutFinal Fantasy 7’s strongest and weakest elements. The fact that such discussions exist for the game after over 20 years demonstrates that the game is not going to be forgotten anytime soon.
