United Kingdom, Jan. 26 -- Final Fantasy VII Part 3's title "has been locked", director Naoki Hamaguchi has teased.

Speaking in a recent interview with GameSpot, Hamaguchi said the name was decided by creative director Tetsuya Nomura following internal discussions that narrowed the choice down to two options.

While the title itself remains under wraps, the confirmation has fuelled speculation that it will continue the thematic naming convention established by Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, both of which use their subtitles to reflect the trilogy's meta-narrative about fate and reinvention.

Development on the third entry appears to be progressing smoothly.

Hamaguchi revealed the game is already in a "playable" ...