Yes indeed,this is not FIFA.

Summon materia behind a paywall via deluxe version seems kind of essential to me. I mean materia is pretty much how the battle system works.  To each their own, but materia as an extra cost isn't DLC, that is MTX.  And MTX that has gameplay implications is pure greed.  People can (and will) spin this however they want to.  For me, I don't like.  Materia is more than cosmetic, especially summon materia.    

"But I'd like to hear why you think "MTX that has gameplay implications is pure greed"?"

Because pay to win should NEVER be acceptable. Get stuck in a game? Finding the game too difficult? Make gaming easier for $4.99 via new materia!!!  Special price of $9.99 for special edition 3-pack!!!!

Sorry dude, that wasn't ok when EA did it and it isn't ok when Square does it. Summon materia can make the difference between surviving or being slain against a tough boss. I am not, nor will I ever, be ok with pay to win.

And if the game is really that expensive, then cut the budget or charge more. It really is that simple. Does Midgar really need to be expanded from 5 hours to 30+ hours? I'm guessing not. But now they can sell a single game at $60 via multiple episodes and generate even more revenue via MTX.  So really they are charging more than the standard market price of $60.  Do I get the full story via episode 1?  Nope.  Is episode 1 $60?  Yep.  And the "oh but it is such a long game!!"  Yeah, so is BotW and Elder Scrolls.  But you don't see those games split 3 times for $60 a pop.  

Edit

"Even when the average cost of making games has risen exponentially since the old days."

Sales are also higher today.  You are taking a very generic view of cost/profit and not factoring in a variety of variables.  Games sell more today, games don't come with instruction booklets.  Many people (including myself) are digital only, which reduces overhead costs.  

Buying a retail RPG in episodes like this is very reminiscent of El Dorado Gate on Dreamcast. Minus the MTX.

Hmm that is highly ignorant to mention, considering the amount of info you already got on this game.

It is not a retail RPG in episodes but the first game out of a series of full games with an overarching story and not a step by step remake from the original,you already have been shown that information and you still choose to ignore it.

It's Episodes dude and please stop. Square is calling them episodes. Just about everywhere is calling them episodes. Because they are. It's a single game broken up in parts.  If this site had a block button you would be. So I won't acknowledge your posts anymore. Doubt you even played El Dorado Gate anyway. Hell bet you never heard of them.

On another website, someone tried to tell me that, "multiple episodes is just today's version of multiple disks."

So I am looking forward to this remake, don't get me wrong.  But the way some people just blindly defend some of the aspects of the game is sickening to say the least.  If I need to explain to someone the difference between owning a game on three discs and paying three times for three episodes, well there is not much I can say.  That person clearly would rather just lie to themselves than admit that certain aspects of this remake is beimg handled poorly.

LMFAO, wow that is crazy.  I am curious about the remake, may even take the plunge, but I am certainly not thrilled about how the game is being handled.  To my knowledge the number of episodes haven't even been confirmed.  Nor has how the file transfer system been explained.

And the whole argument that Final Fantasy VII isn't being broken up into episodes is insane to me.  I bought VII on the ps1, again on the ps3, again on the ps4.  I love Final Fantasy VII.  The story of Final Fantasy VII is more than Midgar.  Final Fantasy VII from a story perspective was a single game, this is no longer the case.  Taking a single story and splitting it up doesn't suddenly make it multiple stories, regardless of additional content. 

And for those who don't have an issue with what is occurring, that is totally fair.  But (to your point) at least be honest about the situation.  Taking a pizza and cutting it in half doesn't make it two pizzas, regardless of the extra toppings one might add.    

I honestly think this is going to be a trilogy, but if they could drag Midgar out into a single part...there is no telling how many episodes that could drag this game out to be.

I'm only going to say this once, because it's always the same people making this claim.

Don't worry. This is not a 10hr tell tale game, this is not a ep-i-sode, this is more like Lord of the Rings. This is part one of the story, this is part one.. They're putting so much more into this game, and they haven't even shown us all the story elements they're adding, not even the leaks shown us everything. The remake is not 1:1 with the original in terms of scale, it's much bigger than that, so sit back and relax everybody, this is 100GB.

30GB is a game, that's a nextgen game, it's about a 20hr game, so don't worry we're all going to be okay on this. I understand some people are skeptical, and it's good to be skeptical, but to put this into perspective, Destiny 2 is 165GB with online multiplayer, rdr2 is at +100GB with online multiplayer, and FF7R clocks in at 100GB right out the box WITHOUT online multiplayer.

Now back to the Butterfingers craze.