In 2024, FFVII researchers found a way to reach the Forgotten Capital soon after Midgar. That skip can keep Aeris in your party for the remainder of the game. This all works on the original PlayStation game and original Playstation console — without cheat codes or hardware modifications.
The setup starts on the world map after Midgar. The steps below are the short version; Kuma and AceZephyr's tutorials show the full manipulation.
Reach the world map, capture a chocobo, and begin an unusually precise sequence of movements.
Use a collision glitch to move across areas the world map would normally prevent you from entering.
Arrive earlier than intended and bypass the sequence that normally removes Aeris from the roster.
The Disc 1 Skip can keep Aeris available as a playable character beyond the point where she normally leaves the party.
The skip jumps past the story sequence where Aeris is normally removed. With careful choices and a route through later softlocks, she can remain available through the rest of the game — and the other party members can still be recruited.
The discovery grew out of work by FFVII runners and researchers. AceZephyr and Kuma are central to the documented skip, and other members of the community helped test, explain, and share it.
Video: PS1 world-map tutorialOne of the principal researchers behind the skip, AceZephyr went deep into the game's world-map collision system, RNG behavior, and precise manipulation needed to reproduce the trick on original hardware. His tutorials document how the manipulation works and how to attempt it.
Explore AceZephyr's research
Video: original proof of conceptAt the forefront of the original breakthrough, Kuma demonstrated the skip and published an early proof-of-concept tutorial in October 2024. His early walkthrough helped other players understand and reproduce the skip.
Watch Kuma's original tutorialHelped bring the discovery to international attention in October 2024 through a widely circulated demonstration ↗.
Made the breakthrough accessible to a wider audience through explainers, original-console demonstrations, and a full-party playthrough ↗.
For an introduction, start with 4-8Productions' overviews and full-party playthrough. Kuma and AceZephyr cover the original proof of concept, execution, and underlying mechanics. Select a video to play it here.
4-8Productions · Short introductions, console demonstrations, and the full playthrough
A high-level tour of the whole run: not just reaching the Forgotten Capital, but working around the game to keep every character on the roster.
Open on YouTube ↗The discovery, the excitement, and why an original-console route matters.
Open on YouTube ↗An original-console demonstration of the Disc 1 Skip.
Open on YouTube ↗The complete full-party playthrough, including the challenges and workarounds needed after the skip.
Open full playlist on YouTube ↗Kuma & AceZephyr · Original tutorials and technical research
An early proof-of-concept tutorial showing the skip and how it was performed.
Open on YouTube ↗A detailed tutorial for original PS1 hardware, covering world-map RNG, movement, chocobos, and the manipulation windows.
Open on YouTube ↗AceZephyr explains the use-after-free flaw, world-map chunk handling, and collision triangles behind the skip.
Open on YouTube ↗Videos load only when selected. If a creator has disabled embedding, use the corresponding YouTube link.
Random encounters can disrupt the setup for the skip. Enter your in-game time to look up the movement and menu windows for that starting point. The calculator helps you plan an encounter-free approach using the original game and controller.
Launch the Calculator ↗Getting across the ocean is only part of the challenge. Continuing after the skip requires a careful route through character recruitment, story flags, and potential softlocks.
After the skip, story triggers and character availability don't always behave as expected.
Skipping entire story chapters can leave flags unset. Aeris can stay on the roster, but some battles or scenes are unsafe with her active. The full-party route requires careful sequencing to acquire other characters and avoid getting stuck. See 4-8Productions' overview and playthrough above for demonstrations.
The original site also explores ten milestone save files for practicing portions of the route on an official PS1 memory card.
Replaying every earlier chapter to test a late-game sequence takes time. A practice memory card with saves at important moments makes it easier to study the skip, later encounters, and the full-party route on original hardware. This page does not yet include a download or purchase link.