Chrono Trigger Remake Rumors Keep Getting More Confusing

For the past few years, Square Enix has found a lot of success in remaking some of its most beloved older games with Final Fantasy VII Remake and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. Other remakes of classic RPGs, namely Final Fantasy IX, have also been rumored, but there may be no game players are clamoring for a new version of more than Chrono Trigger. And now, after quickly debunked reports that a Chrono Trigger remake had actually been leaked, yet another rumor has been sparked by the game’s original writer, even while its company Square Enix is casting doubt.

In early May, reports circulated online that Dragon Quest creator and Chrono Trigger writer Yuji Horii had accidentally let slip the existence of a Chrono Trigger remake. The RPG veteran was reported as making a casual reference to a remake being underway at an Italian convention appearance, then following it up with, “You have heard nothing.” That turned out not to be the case, as Horii himself didn’t mention Chrono Trigger at all — only the event’s Italian translator did. Square Enix did not immediately respond to Inverse’s request for comment.

So, no, a remake of the beloved RPG doesn’t appear to be underway at Square Enix, or at the very least, Horii didn’t reveal it. That doesn’t mean that such a project is entirely out of the question, though.

Horii recently spoke to Gamereactor about Chrono Trigger’s 30th anniversary, which was this March. This time, Horii himself seemingly mentioned the possibility of a remake of the RPG classic, again speaking through a translator.

“Yes, I want to do something,” Horii told Gamereactor. “Dragon Quest has seen III, I, and II remakes. I get a lot of requests for the remake of Chrono Trigger as well, and so I’m starting to contemplate on it.”

That’s far from a confirmation that a remake is actually in the works, and in fact the story is even more complicated than that. As reported by TheGamer, Japanese outlet GameSpark reached out to Square Enix about Horii’s most recent statements and was once again told that he’s been misquoted.

"It is a mistranslation regarding the remake of Chrono Trigger,” reads TheGamer’s translation of Square Enix’s remarks. “Horii never made any such statement."

Horii’s original comments in Japanese are not included in the original video, making it even more difficult to confirm his intentions. As murky as the story around a potential Chrono Trigger remake is, what’s clear is that fans of the classic RPG are eager for any possible hint of its return, and it does make some sense that it could appear soon, if it’s ever going to. This year marks 30 years since its original release, and Square Enix has said that it’s planning something to celebrate the milestone.

“Over the next year, we plan to bring the game’s world beyond the screen with various exciting project,” Square Enix wrote on its Japanese social media account.

That doesn’t exactly sound like the announcement of a remake, but the occasion would also be a fitting time to reveal that something is in the works. Even more than the anniversary itself, Square Enix’s recent releases are further proof that the time is right for a Chrono Trigger remake. Square Enix is well known for proclaiming nearly every one of its releases as a failure in sales figures, but Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake did so well that even the picky developer acknowledged that it was happy with its performance. The HD-2D format seems particularly well suited to Chrono Trigger, where a 3D version in the style of Final Fantasy VII Remake may be too costly, and Square Enix is clearly committed to its signature style, with even niche titles like Live A Live getting a second chance with its eye-catching aesthetic.

Still, just because a Chrono Trigger remake would make a lot of sense (and likely a lot of money for Square), that doesn’t mean it’s actually in the works. But even if Horii hasn’t revealed an actual secret project, the excitement stirred up around even the vague potential of a Chrono Trigger remake probably isn’t lost on Horii and Square Enix.