Final Fantasy 7 Revelation to Offer Auto-Leveling Option, Sparking Community Debate

In an interview with IGN Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2026, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed that the game will include an option to automatically level up characters, allowing players to focus on the story without grinding. However, this feature has ignited a fierce debate within the gaming community.

Like its predecessors, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is heavily narrative-driven. To help players who want to avoid tough battles and progress through the main story, Hamaguchi explained that the team has added an auto-leveling option. He noted that many players had struggled with previous games because they were underleveled and didn't want to complete numerous side quests to level up.

"Because we've prepared so much side content, a player's level might not reach the requirement for the main story," Hamaguchi said. "We heard voices saying, 'Even though you say I don't have to do the side content, if I don't do it and make my characters stronger, I end up struggling.' So for those who just want to experience the main story, we've included an option that asks, if your level is too low at a certain point, 'Would you like to automatically raise your level to the recommended level?'"

This announcement has sparked a heated debate. Critics argue that such a feature makes the game too hand-holdy and implies that young players are no longer being challenged. Veteran game artist TheCartelDel tweeted, "We need to have a serious discussion about how games used to be a unique method to teach kids and teens about patience, delayed gratification, and working hard to accomplish a goal — and now we're designing away the need to persevere at all. You will learn to overcome nothing."

Another user commented, "I like the FF7 remakes. I really do. But every piece of news I've been seeing about Revelation feels like they're accommodating this game for people who don't like playing games and it's embarrassing." A third argued, "Having options to FACILITATE the experience is ALWAYS good, but there's a difference between facilitating and ELIMINATING the experience. In an RPG, getting lost in its world, exploring, fighting, and leveling up is precisely the nature of the genre."

Despite the controversy, FF7 Revelation is set to be a massive game. Hamaguchi teased that completionists will need "at least 100 hours" to finish it entirely. As an open-world title, it offers a variety of side quests and areas to explore. Players can navigate the world by dropping in from the Highwind (thanks, Cid) or riding Chocobos — or even walking on foot.

To address potential decision fatigue from such a vast open world, Hamaguchi said the team is working to balance guidance for those who struggle with exploration and freedom for those who prefer to wander. He mentioned receiving feedback that the game was too hand-holdy. "There are people who want to explore, and there are people who don't want to get lost. So for open-world games today, you need quite a thorough level of guidance. However, others wanted to discover things on their own and found the guidance intrusive. So we're considering toggling that guidance on and off," he explained.

Hamaguchi is clearly aware of concerns that the game might do too much for players. It's also worth noting that many AAA games now offer difficulty levels tailored for story-focused experiences, so the auto-level-up option isn't entirely new.

What's your take on this feature? Do you think it signals a problem for the next generation of games, or is the debate overblown? Let us know in the comments below.