In a heartbreaking turn of events, the upcoming sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, titled Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, will feature less screen time for the beloved character Reno. This decision was made out of respect for the character’s Japanese voice actor, Keiji Fujiwara, who tragically passed away from cancer at the age of 55 on April 12, 2020.
Creative director Tetsuya Nomura revealed in a recent interview with Japanese outlet Dengeki Online that while Fujiwara will still be the voice of Reno in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the character will have fewer appearances. The development team decided to use past audio recordings of Fujiwara for Reno’s lines, as he had already passed away before recording for the game began.
Nomura explained that the team did not immediately recast the character and instead chose to rewrite scenarios involving Reno. This decision was made as a gesture of respect towards Fujiwara and his portrayal of the character. However, Nomura assured fans that Reno will have a more significant role in the third installment of the Final Fantasy 7 remake series, once a new voice actor is found.
Reno, a member of the anti-hero group The Turks, is a prominent recurring character in the Final Fantasy 7 series. Players encounter him multiple times throughout the game, often alongside other notable members of The Turks like Tseng and Rude.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to release on February 29, 2024. During PlayStation’s recent State of Play livestream, several details about the game were unveiled, including the appearance of fan-favorite character Vincent Valentine. While it is disappointing that Reno will have a reduced role in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, fans can look forward to his increased prominence in the third game of the series.
Source: DOTESPORTS
