Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Will Not Feature Chocobo Breeding; The Way Red XIII Rides on Chocobos was Nomura’s Idea

IGN recently interviewed select Final Fantasy VII Rebirth staff, namely creative director Tetsuya Nomura, producer Yoshinori Kitase, and director Naoki Hamaguchi. In one particular exchange, Hamaguchi confirmed that there is no Chocobo breeding system like the original Final Fantasy VII.

However, each Chocobo in Rebirth will have its own unique name and be able to enter races. Additionally, it was revealed that the way Red XIII would ride on Chocobos was a highly discussed topic amongst the staff, with them ultimately deciding to go with Nomura’s idea of how he should ride them.

Lastly, Chocobo Racing is emphasized by Hamaguchi as having quite a bit of content:

NH: Yes. So there are several race tracks that are available and just within the chocobo racing contest, there’s many varied courses that one could challenge. So, in terms of play hours that can be devoted, it’s quite, you know, copious amounts of hours that one could spend on chocobo racing.

You can check out IGN’s full interview for additional details.

In case you missed it, check out our full preview of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the sequel to the first entry in this ongoing Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy effort. This new entry is far more ambitious than the first, set to occur until The Forgotten Capital from the original game.

Players can look forward to playable Cait Sith and Red XIII, with Vincent also revealed, though not extensively. Gold Saucer will be a prominently featured location with plenty of minigames. Speaking of, the Junon infiltration minigame has been significantly enhanced, with Cloud directing soldiers to form specific compositions. Further, Sephiroth will be playable during the Nibelheim flashback.

Combat has undergone a shakeup, with new synergy attacks utilizing multiple party members, and Red XIII has a unique revenge gauge mechanic. However, it’s worth noting that Wutai will not be featured in this new entry, with it set to arrive in the third and final part of the trilogy.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will launch for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, on two discs.

Check out our latest coverage for additional details.