Update: The Chocobo World minigame will not be included in the FFVIII remaster.
Final Fantasy VIII is being remastered for modern systems, but there is still a lot we don't know about the game. It's presumed that Final Fantasy VIII Remastered will feature upscaled graphics that will make it easier to play the game on modern screens, but there has been no word on any additional features that the game might have.
One of the biggest unanswered questions about Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is whether it will be possible to play the Chocobo World minigame.
Final Fantasy VIII was compatible with a device called the PocketStation, which was similar to the Dreamcast memory card, in that it could save data from PlayStation games and turn them into minigames, which could then send data back to the original game through the memory card slot. Final Fantasy VIII utilized the PocketStation when Squall and his team discovered the chocobos, which could then load a minigame called Chocobo World to the PocketStation.
Chocobo World was a basic RPG where the player took on the role of Boko the chocobo as he explored the world. Boko could send rare items to Final Fantasy VIII, and it was easy to exploit the game in order to duplicate items.
The PocketStation was only ever released in Japan. Sony had intended to release it in other countries, but backed out at the last minute. The cancelation of the international release of the PocketStation was so last minute that certain games shipped with PocketStation support, such as Final Fantasy VIII and Saga Frontier 2, even though the minigames were inaccessible.
The only way to play Chocobo World on the original PlayStation version of Final Fantasy VIII is by importing a PocketStation from Japan. It's a lot easier to play Chocobo World in the PC versions of Final Fantasy VIII, as it was turned into a separate game that could be accessed from the desktop and could still connect to Final Fantasy VIII.
The question now is whether Final Fantasy VIII Remastered will include Chocobo World as a separate app or a game that is launched from within Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, or whether it will be inaccessible.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered will be released for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2019.