Never mind leap year birthdays or marriage proposals - in 2024, February 29th meant only one thing: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

We’ve worked on many Final Fantasy games over the years, so to celebrate the launch of Rebirth, we’re revisiting some of our favourite projects for the much loved franchise with a short retrospective. Buckle up! 

Let’s hop in our Delorean and go way back -  to 1997, to Final Fantasy VII launching on the very first PlayStation, and to Fluid’s work for this era defining game. Square - not yet Square Enix - tasked us with the creation of art to launch the first 3D iteration of the game at retail. Our Point of Sale, based around the game’s dynamic 3D imagery (at the time!) and futuristic pack art, marked the start of a decades long partnership between Fluid and the Final Fantasy team

A year on, and Final Fantasy VIII takes the series in another new direction with realistically proportioned characters reflected in Fluid’s ad art - simple, striking, real, and true to the series’ brand identity. Critically acclaimed, the game set the bar for RPGs and brought millions more fans into the Final Fantasy universe. 

Next stop, 2008, and Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core. A prequel to Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core won multiple awards, launching for PSP with full service creative support from Fluid, including pack art, print ads and escalator panels. The game was a hit, paving the way for the launch of Final Fantasy VII the following year. 

Rolled out late 2020 to support Final Fantasy XIV’s free trial, our online acquisition campaign targeted new and lapsed players with evergreen activations centred around a 30s video, supported by YouTube banners, social assets, site skins and more. Using a fresh, innovative creative to excite, entice and convert, our campaign drew new and lapsed audiences into the Final Fantasy world.

Nominated for a Global Entertainment Award for Best Online Ad, our online creative used a bold, clean approach for a sleek and stylised campaign, allowing for multiple executions tailored to each marketing beat. Our punchy strapline - Unlock True Power - neatly reflects the game’s central messaging with an inspiring call to arms.

2023 saw the Fluid team produce 250 stunning influencer kits to celebrate the launch of the long awaited title. The kits embody the magic and dark fantasy of the game world, utilising tactile materials and finishes alongside gifts including an eco-wood tankard and tarnished leatherette journal.

Fast forward to 2024, our final stop - a new Final Fantasy VII and a new kit.

Exquisite as always, it’s a premium work of art crafted to honour both the franchise and the reborn game. Referencing ingame eco-terrorist group Avalanche, we used eco-materials throughout, while pride of place goes to the merch - Cloud’s rest stop cushion, and a stunning wall mounted Chocobo neon sign.