They have all of the gameplay, abilities, locations, materia system, it's all there.
If it means this would take 40 years, than that means Square Enix is admitting that they will never make any game even ONE EIGHTH as expansive as FFVII since that would be five years (NOT counting all the FFVII work already done!
I'm not ok with that.
Also, the story may not take long, but balancing all of the combat so that nothing is overpowered and all the abilities work as they should takes a CRAPLOAD of time, every single enemy and balanced combat mechanic is already built.
If it means this would take 40 years, than that means Square Enix is admitting that they will never make any game even ONE EIGHTH as expansive as FFVII since that would be five years (NOT counting all the FFVII work already done!
I'm not ok with that.
Also, the story may not take long, but balancing all of the combat so that nothing is overpowered and all the abilities work as they should takes a CRAPLOAD of time, every single enemy and balanced combat mechanic is already built.