Final Fantasy 9 fans are losing their minds over the sequel's official announcement

Published March 22, 2026, 12:00 a.m. EDT

Known as the biggest fan of “Cyberpunk 2077,” Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives on all things digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of femininity, she’s there.

Through her previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Lustre, Angharad has gained a solid understanding of the digital world and what fans expect from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers.

First released in 2000 as the ninth main installment of Square-Enixthe Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy IX tells the story of a war against nations in the medieval fantasy world known as Gaia. Players would play as thief Zidane Tribal, who kidnaps Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, before the couple, joined by a group of colorful characters, plot to eliminate her mother who was behind the outbreak of war.

Released to critical acclaim, Final Fantasy IX was released in 2010 as a PS1 classic on the PlayStation Store, alongside an enhanced port in 2016. However, fans are feeling the hype again as an anime series adaptation, first announced in 2021, finally entered production.

Final Fantasy 9 will finally have a sequel

Steiner, Dagger, and Zidane make determined faces as Dagger grabs the airship's steering wheel in a Final Fantasy 9 cutscene.

Title The legacy of the dark mages, the animated adaptation has now entered production at EuroVisual Studiosand is expected to air in 2028. Originally, Legacy of the Dark Mages was to be run by Cyber Group Studios, but when the studio closed, it was soon picked up by the French animation studio EuroVisual Studios.

So what does it mean to be in production on the highly anticipated series? Well, going into pre-production means that Legacy of the Dark Mages has left the planning and design stages behind and has now received funding, meaning its creation can now begin in earnest. It is expected that consists of ten episodes, each lasting approximately 22 minutesthe official synopsis reads:

Imel, Koln, Luciola, Théa, Fala and Doc, children of the hero Bibi, are the last black mages of the four continents. Today, they live happily in the city of ALEXANDRIA, guarded by its rather friendly, although sometimes very curious, inhabitants. Unfortunately, this peaceful existence was not destined to last… One day, Cologne discovers Mel, frozen like a statue, in the inn where he works. Could this be the tragic legacy of their father’s catching up?

The new Final Fantasy 9 series has been rumored for ages

The image shows promotional art for The Black Mages' Legacy.

As mentioned, Legacy of the Dark Mages was first announced in 2021, but due to the closure of its original studio, its production faced a delay. However, with the announcement that it has now entered pre-production, its 2028 release window seems all the more likely. As such, fans took r/FinalFantasyIX to share their thoughts on the recent announcement.

“I suspect they will at least be important supporting characters,” said one user, in response to another fan who was hoping for the addition of “Zidane, Garnet and other members of the group.” After the story of IX, set in Alexandria, “the last dark mages”, with their relatively short lifespan, it’s a safe bet that we will also see our favorite heroes. Another user summed up our thoughts by saying, “Apparently I need to do a better job of keeping up with this. I thought they canceled it a while ago.”

So here it is, Legacy of the Dark Mages is set to launch in 2028 and with pre-production now in full force, we can expect to hear and see more about this exciting Final Fantasy IX adaptation soon.