Final Fantasy VII Rebirth early access: How to play ahead of launch

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is almost upon us. The highly anticipated sequel to 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake — a modernized version of the beloved 1997 PlayStation classic — is set to release on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has received universal acclaim and currently sits at a 92 on Metacritic. We scored it a perfect 10/10 in our own review which you can read here. Deemed a must-play, there are multiple editions of the game available for pre-order.

Pre-ordering any of the digital editions of the game (Digital Deluxe Twin pack, Digital Twin Pack or Digital Deluxe Edition) will grant you the Moogle Trio Summoning Materia. Meanwhile, the various editions also come with additional bonuses, such as an artbook, soundtrack, i-game items and more.

But what about early access? Is there any way you can play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ahead of its release on Thursday?

Can you play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth early ahead of its release?

Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth does not have any sort of early access period, meaning you'll have to wait until February 29th to start playing.

However, there is a demo available for the game for anyone who wants to experience a small part of the game. If you simply can't wait to jump in, the two-part demo is currently available to play.

The first demo, "Fall of a Hero of Nibelheim," is an extended flashback section in which Cloud Strife recalls an earlier mission in his career as a SOLDIER. The mission is set five years prior to the setting of the game and players will take control of Cloud as he and the legendary Sephiroth are sent to investigate the sudden appearance of monsters in the mountains of Cloud's hometown.

The second demo, "Dawn of a New Era of Junon" is set several hours into the main storyline. In this special preview, which was made specifically for the demo, players can freely explore the outskirts of Junon.

Save progress will not carry over from the demo into the full game; however, anyone with save data from the demo will receive the Kupo Charm and Survival Set in the full game. Additionally, anyone who completed "Fall of a Hero in Nibelheim" will be able to skip past the sections in the main game that were covered in the demo.

So while this isn't actually early access, there are some benefits to playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's demos.