How to get a Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

It just wouldn’t be a Final Fantasy game without a Chocobo, and in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, not are there Chocobos, but you can ride them too.

The first appearance of a Chocobo was in 1988’s Final Fantasy II, and the franchise would seem lost without them now. They’re iconic: from their gorgeous golden feathers to their hearty call of “Kweh,” Chocobos are the unofficial mascots of Final Fantasy.

I would hazard a guess that if you’re here, you want to know how soon you get yourself a Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and I’ve got your answer.

When do you get a Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

You can secure your first Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth once you reach Chapter 2 of the game and leave Midgar properly.

Whereas a Chocobo is an optional bird in other FF titles, attracting and catching a Chocobo is compulsory in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth—it’s not optional.

You simply cannot progress through the story until you’ve acquired a Chocobo, so let’s show you how to get one:

1. During Chapter 2, there comes a point where you need a Chocobo to cross deep water at the Abandoned Dock.
2. Head to the Chocobo Ranch, there, you meet Billy.
3. After a conversation with Billy, you have to follow Chocobo footsteps leading out of the ranch to lead you to Piko’s whereabouts—a Chocobo.
4. Take part in the catching minigame and catch Piko.
5. Return to the Chocobo Ranch, reunite with Chadley, and enough time will pass so that Piko is now ready to be mounted and used by Cloud.
6. Complete the Hustle de Chocobo race minigame.
7. You can free roam on Piko—and your party also gain the ability to ride Chocobos.

This doesn’t mean you can freely ride Chocobos once you move to new regions in Midgar, though. For instance, if you go somewhere new, such as Junon, you have to catch a new Chocobo tied to the region to enable Chocobo riding for that area.

How to call your Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

If you’ve dismounted your Chocobo in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, just press R1 on your PS5 controller to use the chocowhistle, and it will almost instantly summon your Chocobo to your location.

There are many occasions where you can only perform certain actions not mounted on a Chocobo—analyzing a Summon crystal is a perfect example. Pressing R1 draws the Chocobo to your position, and you can hop on board within seconds.