In the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second part of the episodic FF7 remake, fans can expect a reduction in the screen time and role of the fan-favorite character Reno. This news was confirmed by creative director Tetsuya Nomura during an interview with Dengeki Online and the development team. Reno, a member of the Turks, a faction within Shinra, had garnered a strong following among fans, but his presence in Rebirth will be scaled back.
One significant reason for Reno’s reduced role in Rebirth is the passing of his Japanese voice actor, Keiji Fujiwara, in 2020 due to cancer. To honor Fujiwara’s legacy, the development team opted to use archived audio recordings of his past performances as Reno for the character’s voice lines in Rebirth. This decision, made out of respect for the late actor, led to a revised scenario that diminished Reno’s involvement in the game’s storyline.
Nomura acknowledged that this news might disappoint fans, particularly those overseas. However, he assured fans that Reno would receive a more substantial presence in the third entry of the Final Fantasy 7 remake, once they have found a suitable replacement for Fujiwara. In the original game, Reno played a role beyond Midgar, including battles with Cloud’s party outside Gongaga and participation in the optional Wutai sidequest.
These elements will be saved and expanded upon in the third part of the remake trilogy, while Reno’s appearances in Rebirth will be limited.
