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Square Enix has not officially announced a FINAL FANTASY IX remake. An August 2026 report relaying comments attributed to RPG Site editor Alex Donaldson says a purported single-game project had stalled, but Donaldson also said the path could change. That is outside reporting, not an announcement or confirmation from Square Enix. The original game, meanwhile, remains available in enhanced editions, including an officially listed Nintendo Switch edition.
What is known about a FINAL FANTASY IX remake?
There is no official remake announcement in the reporting available here. TechRadar reported on February 18, 2026 that Square Enix had not confirmed a remake. In its August 10–11, 2026 coverage, Nintendo Life and GamesRadar+ still described the project through comments attributed to Donaldson rather than a statement from Square Enix. TechRadar’s February 2026 report also clarified that the “new FF9 release” chatter it discussed concerned a Vivi children’s storybook, not a new game.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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FINAL FANTASY IX - Nintendo Switch | $38.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Final Fantasy IX Picture Book: Vivi and Grandpa's Memories for the Sky | $16.77 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Final Fantasy IX | $21.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Nintendo Life attributes to Donaldson the account that a single-game remake had been “very far along” but stalled and was no longer moving forward; he added that the path could change. This is a reported comment from an outside source, not confirmation that Square Enix has cancelled the game or that a project is currently in development. Nintendo Life’s report and GamesRadar+’s coverage relay the remarks.
What remains unknown
- Whether Square Enix will announce or resume a remake.
- Any release date, confirmed platforms, or publisher-confirmed scope.
- Why the project reportedly stalled.
The rumor has been traced to a large NVIDIA leak in earlier coverage, but a leak is not an official announcement. For now, the accurate description is that the remake has not been officially announced and its reported status is uncertain.
#1 Best Overall
- Selling over five million copies since its release in 2000, FINAL FANTASY IX proudly returns on Nintendo Switch!
- Experience the adventure once again with characters and pre-rendered movies featured in high definition, as well as a new booster system with a selection of various modes such as "high speed" or "no encounters"!
- Abilities - Learn new abilities by equipping items. When fully mastered, these abilities can be used even without equipping items, allowing for nearly endless customization options.
- Trance - Fill your Trance gauge as you sustain hits in battle. When fully charged, your characters will enter Trance mode, granting them powerful new skills!
- Synthesis - Never let items go to waste. Combine two items or pieces of equipment together and make better, stronger items!
What the original FINAL FANTASY IX offers
Square Enix’s synopsis starts with Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnapping Princess Garnet, who wants to escape Alexandria Castle. Garnet and her guard Steiner join Zidane on a journey that brings them together with characters including Vivi and Quina. As the group learns about itself and the Crystal, it confronts a threat to its world. The story is character-driven, mixing an initially personal escape with a larger fantasy adventure.
Beyond the story, the original’s systems encourage experimentation and exploration:
- Equipment-based abilities: Characters learn abilities by equipping items. Once an ability is mastered, they retain it, letting players build character setups through equipment choices.
- Trance: A gauge fills during battle; when full, it grants access to powerful skills.
- Synthesis: Combine items or equipment to create stronger items.
- Minigames: Chocobo Hot and Cold, Jump Rope, and Tetra Master offer diversions and item rewards.
Square Enix says the game has sold over five million copies since its 2000 release — Square Enix, 2025 (store listing).
What the enhanced editions add
The Nintendo Switch product listing describes an edition of the original game, not a remake. Square Enix lists its release date as December 9, 2025, and says it includes high-definition movies and character models, autosave, and seven optional boosters. Those include high-speed and no-encounter modes. Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY IX listing has the Switch edition’s product and feature details.
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Rank #3
- Final Fantasy IX
- Dark times have spread over the world of Gaia.
- Four separate governing nations, some blinded by their short-sighted greed.
- Some persevering in the name of justice, are battling on and off in a deadly game for power.
- One kingdom, that of Lindblum, headed by the honorable and trustworthy Regent Cid, finally decides to take a stand against the unspeakable massacres by the troops of Alexandria.
Square Enix’s PS4 support page also lists HD movies and character models, autosave, and seven optional boosters. Its examples include high-speed and no-encounter modes, a Master All Abilities booster, and options to maximize character levels, magic stones, and gil. These are quality-of-life additions to editions of the original; the available information does not establish feature parity across platforms. See Square Enix’s PS4 support page for that edition’s listed options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you wait for a remake or play the original?
If you want to experience the story now, the original is the available choice supported by the official listings. You can consider FINAL FANTASY IX for Nintendo Switch, which Square Enix lists as a physical product and describes with the edition features above. If you would rather wait for a remake, do so knowing that no date, platforms, or official project status have been announced in the cited coverage.
Choose based on what matters to you: start the original for its story and classic systems, or wait for Square Enix to make an announcement before treating a remake as a firm plan. A “new FF9 release” reference should not be assumed to mean a new game; in the February 2026 coverage, it referred to a Vivi storybook.
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