'Final Fantasy VII Remake' physical copies to have long install time upon launch

After years of waiting for its release, gamers were disappointed when Square Enix suddenly moved the release date of Final Fantasy VII Remake fromTuesday, March 3 to Friday, April 10. The developers reasoned out that the game still needed some finishing touches. Now, it is barely a day away and review embargoes have been lifted. So far, opinions are unanimous and those who pre-ordered physical copies are probably eager to get started. However, it should be noted that there is a lengthy installation time waiting.

Those who purchased the game in its digital form from the PlayStation Store can already pre-load it now. On the other hand, the physical version will reportedly come in two Blu-ray discs. This is not the first time that a PlayStation 4 game came in two discs. 2018's Red Dead Redemption II also shipped with two Blu-ray discs and it took one hour and 30 minutes to fully install.

Thankfully, the physical copy of Final Fantasy VII Remake will just take around 60 minutes to copy the game files to the hard drive. GameSpot confirms that the package contains two discs with one labelled "Data Disc," while the second is marked as "Play Disc." Last month, Square Enix apologised ahead of time due to the shipment delays they have foreseen due to the coronavirus outbreak. The company was not sure if there will be enough inventory available on launch day.

As if that was not enough, some retailers allegedly broke the street date last month. Gamers quickly posted photos of their physical copies, but declined to name which establishment they got it from. The developer issued a statement detailing that it had no control if stores release copies earlier, but will likely penalise those that have violated the agreement.

"Regardless of your history with the original game, Final Fantasy VII Remake is an astounding achievement," according to a review from Tamoor Hussain. "The wait for its release was a long one, but in gameplay, story, characters, and music, it delivers--the wait was worth it. For first-time players, it's an opportunity to understand why 'Final Fantasy VII' is held in such high regard." "Final Fantasy VII Remake" is a timed exclusive for the PlayStation 4 for one year.