The Gathering Card May Secretly Be Another Final Fantasy 9 Remake Clue

Final Fantasy 9 has been the source of discussion for a while at this point, specifically around a potential remake of one of the most popular and impactful entries in Square Enix’s enduring RPG franchise. Although this speculation has been met with no official word from the developer as of this time, the IP recently got a big boost. Magic: The Gathering‘s Final Fantasy set was just released this past June 13. The collection features a tribute to the franchise that covers the entire breadth and history of all the mainline games, including the fourteenth MMO entry, and Final Fantasy 9 was naturally part of it.

However, Final Fantasy 9 did not make the cut for MTG‘s Commander decks, with four other games—FF6, 7, 10, and 14—chosen to represent them instead, and deflating some initial hopes that this would mean a remake was happening. Nevertheless, FF9 has a strong presence and representation within the main set, and one card in particular depicting one of its most iconic and beloved characters might yet be a promising indication that a remake could still be imminent.

Final Fantasy’s MTG Commander Decks Provide the Perfect Shortlist for Series Remakes

Final Fantasy’s crossover with Magic: The Gathering contains commander decks based on a few entries that would be excellent remake choices.

Magic: The Gathering’s Vivi Card Could Be Another Hint at a Final Fantasy 9 Remake

Final Fantasy 9 Remake Rumors Have Been Picking Up Steam

Many fans have been wishing for a Final Fantasy 9 remake for some time, as it remains one of the most memorable entries for its story, characters, and themes. Sony’s State of Play and Summer Game Fest recently took place, and ahead of these events, there were expectations that Square was possibly going to show up in a big way. Indeed, it was announced that Final Fantasy 16 and FF7 Remake are coming to Xbox and PC, with the former even shadow-dropping during the show, and the latter set to release this Winter. The other big reveal was Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, a remake of the fan-favorite 1997 strategy spin-off dropping on September 30. However, there was no sign of Final Fantasy 9.

Previously adding fuel to the fire of the remake rumors, the official Final Fantasy 9 website was recently updated with new character portraits done by the original designer, Toshiyuki Itahana. These included the likes of lovable black mage Vivi Ornitier, along with Garnet, Zidane, and Steiner. Though Square has yet to comment on this directly, also of note is that FF9‘s 25th anniversary isn’t far off, taking place in July. Combined with Vivi in MTG, it could be the case that the studio is gearing up for something major related to FF9.

Final Fantasy 9’s Vivi Magic: The Gathering Card Could Be a Remake Clue Hiding in Plain Sight

Notably, Magic: The Gathering‘s Vivi Ornitier card is making the rounds and raising eyebrows due to the power and versatility it offers, along with the gorgeous artwork renderings of its various versions. Vivi has proven to be borderline-overpowered within the Final Fantasy collection, and this may have been Square’s strategy all along, building up hype and attention before it officially announces an FF9 remake.

And with the original game’s 25th anniversary just ahead, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine that the reveal of a Final Fantasy 9 Remake may come soon in order to capitalize on the buzz that Vivi’s inclusion in MTG is currently generating. Thus, “the little black mage that could” may actually be setting the stage for the remake of the game he stars in to finally be unveiled in the wake of FF’s successful crossover with Magic: The Gathering.