With the upcoming new ports of two major Japanese titles, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, both franchises are once again drawing widespread attention.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, originally released on February 29, 2024, was recently announced by Square Enix to receive Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S versions on June 3, 2026. Meanwhile, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which launched on June 26, 2025, is scheduled to arrive on PC on March 19, 2026. Developed by Kojima Productions under the direction of Hideo Kojima, the sequel continues to generate strong interest worldwide.
So what were these two series making headlines for back in the summer of 2021? In this week’s throwback, we take a look at two stories that went viral on X during that time, back when the platform was still known as Twitter.
The short-haired Tifa phenomenon
Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII, known for her iconic dark, waist-length hair, suddenly found herself at the center of an unexpected online movement under the hashtag #TifaShortHair. The movement was sparked by X user strawderryst who edited CG images from Final Fantasy VII Remake, reimagining Tifa with a short haircut. What started as a simple “what if?” quickly snowballed.
Within days, the hashtag was flooded with fan art from around the world. Since mid-August 2021, posts using #TifaShortHair skyrocketed, with artists offering their own takes on how the martial artist might look with cropped hair instead of her trademark long locks. It wasn’t a demand for change so much as a collective experiment in possibility, driven purely by the fact that, well, she just looks cute with short hair.
Some fans argued that a martial artist like Tifa might logically have short hair, since long hair could get in the way during combat. Others, however, pushed back on that idea, saying they “would not consider such factors from real life in a video game.” After all, this is a world where a character casually swings around a sword larger than himself. Realism was never really the point. According to strawderryST, the short-haired version was not an attempt to “fix” Tifa, rewrite her design philosophy or make a statement against “conventional feminine designs” in video games, as some users were suggesting. It was simply a playful, subjective reimagining born out of curiosity.
On a related note, Tifa’s design in Final Fantasy VII Remake has long drawn attention. Ahead of the game’s release, director Tetsuya Nomura told Famitsu that the team aimed to give her “defined abs” for a more athletic look, while also adjusting her outfit so it would not appear unnatural during intense action scenes. The remake ultimately refined her appearance without straying from her established appeal.
The official overseas X account for Square Enix also made a small acknowledgment of the trend, even replying to the original short-haired edit with a simple “…cute…” and a pleading face emoji.
When Hideo Kojima became your online strategy guide
In September 2021, Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima began posting practical gameplay tips on X, just ahead of the release of Death Stranding: Director’s Cut for PlayStation 5. While some developers prefer to let the players explore the game for themselves, Kojima decided to share some surprisingly specific advice, almost like a strategy guide unfolding in real time.
One of his first tips focused on navigating the mountain regions filled with BTs. Kojima suggested that players “try to walk on the footprints you’ve made, and you’ll see orange handprints where BTs have found you.” By avoiding those orange handprints, he explained, players could more easily slip past the otherwise terrifying enemies. It was the kind of mechanical insight that some players had missed entirely.
He also reminded players about the Weather Talisman, a backpack accessory obtained by fulfilling certain in-game requirements. “When you equip the Weather Talisman, it becomes less likely to rain,” he wrote—an important detail in a world where rainfall increases the risk of encountering BTs. Judging by the replies, many players were learning about these mechanics for the first time, especially since some accessories are earned through optional deliveries with difficult conditions.
Kojima even reflected on how this kind of information used to be distributed. In the past, creators might have shared tips through official guidebooks. Now, he noted, we’re in an age where players exchange strategies directly online. Inspired by his posts, fans began sharing their own discoveries under the hashtag “#デスストTips.”
In a way, Kojima’s thread turned into a collaborative strategy archive. A director once associated with cryptic storytelling was now casually helping players optimize ladder placement for motorcycles and navigate invisible threats. It was an unusually direct interaction between creator and audience, though, when you think about it, it was very much something Kojima would do.
There are all kinds of tips being posted beyond what is covered in this article and seeking them out might add yet another layer of enjoyment onto the game.
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