Final Fantasy VII Revelation will include an automatic character level-up option, IGN reports

GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed

IGN Japan reported that Final Fantasy VII Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi announced at Tokyo Game Show 2026 that the game will include an option to automatically level up characters. IGN said the feature is intended to let players reach major story beats without grinding, and that the announcement has prompted disagreement among players.

What changed

IGN Japan reported that Final Fantasy VII Revelation will include an option to automatically level up characters, according to director Naoki Hamaguchi speaking at Tokyo Game Show 2026. IGN framed this as an explicit design decision announced by the game's director in a public industry event (Tokyo Game Show), and presented the automatic level-up feature as a selectable option rather than a described default state.

Supported impact

1) Design intent: IGN reported Hamaguchi saying the automatic level-up option is intended to let players experience the game’s story without needing to grind through difficult battles or numerous side quests. That attribution ties the feature directly to a narrative accessibility aim rather than to other, non-reported motives.

2) Response to player feedback: IGN reported Hamaguchi saying the team had received player feedback that some people struggled to finish previous entries because they were underlevelled and did not want to grind. The inclusion of an auto-level option is presented in the report as a response to that specific feedback.

3) Community reaction: IGN reported that the announced auto-level option has prompted disagreement within the broader gaming community. The article treats community disagreement as reported reaction rather than as a measure of overall sentiment or final design choices.

4) Positioning within the franchise: IGN described Final Fantasy VII Revelation in the piece as narrative-focused and used that framing to explain why a story-directed feature like auto-leveling might be prioritized for some players. The report therefore situates the change as aligning with the game's reported narrative emphasis.

Limits

1) Source and attribution: The only source provided in the supplied evidence for this change is the IGN Japan report of Hamaguchi's remarks at Tokyo Game Show 2026. All statements about intent, feedback, and reaction are reported by IGN as attributions to Hamaguchi or as observations in the IGN story.

2) Unspecified mechanics: IGN’s report does not specify how the automatic level-up option will work in practice. The supplied evidence does not confirm whether the option will apply to all characters, how it will calculate level increases, whether it affects experience gain, or whether it changes enemy scaling.

3) Availability and defaults: The report does not say when the option will be available, whether it will be on by default, whether it will be restricted to certain modes, or how it will interact with achievements, New Game Plus, or competitive features. Those implementation and deployment details are not present in the supplied evidence.

4) Scope of community disagreement: IGN reports that the option prompted disagreement, but the supplied evidence does not quantify that disagreement, identify specific criticisms or supporters, or report how widespread the reaction is.

For the report summarized here, see the supplied source listed below for IGN’s coverage of Naoki Hamaguchi’s comments at Tokyo Game Show 2026.