Final Fantasy 9 Officially Returns, But Not Everyone Is Happy

2025 marks 25 years since the release of Final Fantasy 9, one of the best-loved games in Square Enix’s long-running RPG series. And just as we thought the year might end without any big surprises, the cast of Final Fantasy 9 have officially returned for a new adventure.

Back in August this year, the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy 9 was marked with a nice – if ultimately underwhelming – blog post from Square Enix. Fans were, of course, hoping for something a little more substantial. We now have that something, though I should warn you it’s not quite the remake we’ve been crying out for.

Final Fantasy 9 Returns In A New Crossover Event

Definitely not what you expected, is it?

Custom Image by Lee D’Amato

Final Fantasy 9‘s beloved cast have returned for Another Eden X Final Fantasy 9 crossover event Memories Of Another Sky, which is currently ongoing. The free-to-play RPG has added Zidane, Steiner, Garnet, and Vivi to the roster in an event that takes place in Alexandria, one of Final Fantasy 9‘s iconic settings.

“Step once more into the world of Alexandria, and watch as iconic Final Fantasy 9 characters join the fight in this crossover for the single-player adventure JRPG,” reads the video’s official description. Completing the special quest will net you 1,000 CS, which I’m assuming is a good thing.

Memories of Another Sky kicked off on December 3 and will remain available until Tuesday, December 23 at 2:59 pm UTC. The event is definitely worth checking out for Final Fantasy fans, with a bunch of special new mechanics specifically designed to pay tribute to the classic 2000 entry.

Not Everyone Is Thrilled With This Crossover

Who could have seen that coming?

Predictably, not everyone is thrilled with this new crossover. Many fans were clearly hoping to get some news on the long-rumoured Final Fantasy 9 remake, although the latest rumours suggest that this particular project has been shelved by Square Enix. Very possibly for good.

“Square Enix once again continues to edge the FF9 community,” writes one fan under IGN’s exclusive gameplay of the crossover event. “Doing absolutely everything with the entry but a remake.”

Another adds: “Do the remake for the love of god.”

Over on Twitter, one gamer glumly predicts this crossover is “the closest thing we ever see to a Final Fantasy 9 remake.”

Personally I don’t think we can ever fully rule out the possibility of an official Final Fantasy 9 remake. And while this crossover might not be how most of us would have chosen to mark the 25th anniversary, it’s still nice to see some familiar faces after all this time — and to see there’s still a ton of love for Zidane and the gang.