There's been a lot of discussion surrounding the commercial success of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The PS5 exclusive launched on the 29th February, but despite garnering near universal acclaim from critics, questions were quickly raised regarding sales numbers, with Square Enix yet to provide any official statistics (which usually isn't a great sign).
Over the last month or so, various analysts have fanned the flames, suggesting that the sequel has underperformed. And now, thanks to Circana's Mat Piscatella, we have a better idea of how the game's doing in the USA.
Rebirth appeared to enjoy a strong debut in the region, claiming second place in the February software charts, even though it released on the last day of the month. However, March's results, which have just been published, show a decline, with the title dropping down to seventh. It should be noted, however, that there was a lot of competition from new games, like Dragon's Dogma 2 and Rise of the Ronin.
But it's comparisons to other Final Fantasy games that provide a clearer picture. Again, Piscatella reveals that Rebirth currently ranks 14th for dollar sales in the US, when matched up to the rest of the series. For additional context, Final Fantasy 15 is number one (perhaps surprisingly), Final Fantasy 7 Remake is second, and the original Final Fantasy 7 is third. Naturally, it's the Remake comparison that draws your attention; it's becoming abundantly clear that Rebirth hasn't been able to match its predecessor, and probably never will.
There are multiple reasons as to why this is the case. As mentioned, Rebirth is a PS5 exclusive, meaning that it's appealing to a smaller install base right off the bat. Next — and we think this is probably the biggest roadblock — Rebirth is a direct sequel, and direct sequels are never an easy sell. This is especially true when you consider Remake's narrative direction, which is inherently divisive. Players who didn't necessarily enjoy Remake may not have gone for the follow-up.