Update 12:19 BST 13/12/22: PS4 and Switch have now been removed from the ESRB ratings, as highlighted by Stealth40k. Square Enix is yet to confirm whether the initial listing change was a mistake or if the console versions of the game really will launch soon.
Five months on from the Final Fantasy Pixel remasters launching on PC and mobile, it seems the announcement of their arrival on console is imminent. That's if an update to their ESRB ratings, all six of them, coupled with a certain anniversary this week is anything to go by.
While it's unclear when exactly the changes were made to the remasters' ratings, they were spotted and highlighted by cefaluu on Reddit. The first rating spotted appears to be the one for Final Fantasy 6 which has had the PS4 and Nintendo Switch added to its description at some point. Upon noticing 6 had its rating altered, those eagerly awaiting the collection on other platforms checked the previous five and yes, all of the descriptions have been tweaked in the same way.
The changes to the descriptions come on the week of Final Fantasy's 35th anniversary. Nothing specific regarding how exactly the occasion will be marked has been announced, although there will be an event tomorrow, the description of which makes it sound like fans of the series should keep their eyes peeled all week long. The series' actual anniversary falls on Sunday, December 18.
A rating, or in this instance a change to one, often signifies an announcement of some sort, usually a release date, is coming. Final Fantasy 16 was rated in Brazil a little more than a week before its release date was confirmed to be June 22, 2023, at The Game Awards. The wait for the Pixel Remasters on console might be a few months as Square Enix likely won't want them to launch too close to Crisis Core Reunion which arrives tomorrow.
The first six Final Fantasy games finally coming to consoles, if the ratings are anything to go by, means almost every game in the series, barring an omission or two, will soon be playable on PlayStation and Switch. If launching in 2023, it adds to what is going to be a bumper year for Final Fantasy. 16's arrival in June, and then Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth which is still on track to be here about a year from now.