Final Fantasy 7 Remake Director Defends Yellow Paint

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi has once again defended the now-notorious "yellow paint" used to guide players, emphasizing that "there is definitely a need" for such visual cues.

The use of yellow markings on ledges and walls to denote climbable surfaces has been a point of contention among gamers since it became widespread in titles like Uncharted on PlayStation 3. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth also employs this technique, and the ensuing player discussions about it reportedly surprised Hamaguchi at the time.

In a new GamesRadar+ interview, Hamaguchi acknowledged that some players dislike or don't require the yellow paint, but maintained its necessity for game design.

"I understand the debate around it—whether it fits the game's world, and who wants it or doesn't," Hamaguchi stated. "From a gameplay perspective, I believe there is a definite need for this kind of guidance in many ways. Developers experiment to find what works best and what fits their specific game."

"The need to guide players, to show them what is possible and what they need to do, is sometimes essential," he added. "The debate is more about *how* it's implemented, to what degree, and what is effective. There will always be people who say, 'No, this doesn't fit at all.' That's fine, but I believe the underlying need is real and it's a topic worth examining."

When the yellow paint debate resurfaced with Rebirth last year, some critics argued that such overt hand-holding felt intrusive, not just in Final Fantasy 7 Remake but in modern games overall. Others countered that it serves as a helpful accessibility feature. Game developers also contributed to the conversation, noting that during playtesting, players can become frustrated and quit if they can't discern where to go. Consequently, clear—sometimes stylistically jarring—visual cues are often necessary to direct players. Many have also pointed out that games have used visual hints for navigation and progression for decades.

With discussion around the yellow paint in FF7R, who remembers the options red/green arrows plus giant pointer available in the original FF7? pic.twitter.com/qMLnKh3rGw

— John Linneman @dark1x.bsky.social (@dark1x) February 11, 2024

Given Hamaguchi's stance, fans can likely expect the yellow paint to make a return in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3. Regarding the final chapter, Square Enix stated last year that it aims to launch the finale by 2027. Anticipation grew further when the development team revealed it had completed the story earlier this year.

More recently, Hamaguchi clarified his earlier comments that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 would "strike a balance" in pacing and be "more concise," assuring fans that this does not mean any content will be cut from the game.

While we await more news, you can read about why the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 team “will not cheat” when implementing the series' iconic airship. As for whether Part 3 will feature turn-based combat, Hamaguchi said the decision has not been "pre-determined yet," despite the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—a game with traditional JRPG-inspired turn-based combat that recently confirmed sales of 5 million copies in five months.