What had started as a light-hearted April Fool's Day prank is now actually becoming a reality. Square Enix has officially announced a new limited-time event for Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis titled “Ebakura [EveCri] Academy Seven -Fierce Fight Arc-.” A teaser for the upcoming event was released on the official Square Enix YouTube channel, revealing a full-fledged storyline that reimagines Final Fantasy VII characters as high school students and faculty members embroiled in a turf war at a fictional Midgar high school. Check out the trailer down below:
The new event kicks off April 30th, bringing with it a tongue-in-cheek alternate universe where familiar faces trade buster swords for school uniforms and cafeteria drama. The setting places players in Midgar City, now stylized as a chaotic school zone where delinquent students regularly square off to prove who’s the strongest.
The teaser and accompanying webpage that was originally launched as an April Fool’s joke introduce the cast in their new roles. Cloud Strife is portrayed as a fierce, ambitious student striving to become the top fighter. He’s not alone in this battle for dominance, as Zack Fair currently holds the title of “1st” in the school’s underground fighting rankings. Meanwhile, Tifa Lockhart, Cloud’s childhood friend, and Aerith Gainsborough, now reimagined as a charismatic gang leader, seem to have their own plans for shaking up the hierarchy.
While the absurdity of the premise leans heavily into fan service and comedy, the animation and character art remain consistent with Ever Crisis’s polished aesthetic. This kind of crossover-styled event continues Square Enix’s tradition of using mobile games to explore “what-if” storylines and alternate settings for beloved franchises.
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, which officially launched in late 2023 for iOS, Android, and PC, is a mobile game that compiles stories from across the Final Fantasy VII universe. This includes the original game, the Advent Children movie, and spinoffs like Crisis Core, Before Crisis, and Dirge of Cerberus. Events like the Academy Seven arc allow players to engage with new, original narratives while still celebrating iconic characters and lore.
With the Fierce Fight Arc set to begin on April 30th, fans are excited to see just how far this high school AU (alternate universe) storyline will go as well as what quirky costumes or gameplay mechanics it might bring with it.
What are your thoughts on the announcement? Did you think it was just an April Fools joke or a real announcement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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