I have never noticed any hate for FF VII. Everyone that I know who likes FF loves FF VII, its like the Beatles of RPGs. Critics also love it and always refer to it as the pinnacle of the series. And I also dont noticed that people hate on the additional VII-games. Crisis Core seems to be loved by everyone, I havent met a single person yet who badmouthed it. Many many people love Zack (he has been voted the most popular male FF character in 2013) and virtually everyone I talked to aid that Crisis Core enriches FF VII and makes it even more epic. It is true that I have met some people who criticized Advent Children for not being on par with FF VII (but please did anybody even expect that? Its just a 2 hour movie) but I havent really noticed people hating on it (Dont mistake criticism for internet raging or hate!)
maybe you just were in the wrong forums
No seriously but I haven encountered any hatred for FF VII whatsoever. The fans and people I talk to about it either love it or ignore it because they are too spoiled with todays graphics but I havent really seen anybody hate on it. the whole idea of hating on FF VII seems completely ridiculous to me. Its one of the highest rated and most successful videogames of all time and 95 % of all fans I ever talked to love it until this day. Who the hell have you guys been talking to?^^
Personally I think that with the exception of Dirge of Cerberus (which I generally avoid), that Crisis Core and Advent Children have turned FF VII into a really great trilogy and I think that they have made FF VII much more powerful, epic and emotional than it has already been. You have a much greater and more epic sense of the game. When I played FF VII after watching a walkthrough of Crisis Core (including all cutscenes) , playing FF VII definitely was a more emotional and epic experience than ever before and Advent Children might not have been as complex and deep but it was an epic, stunning conclusion for me that gave me even more chills after watching CC and playing VII again. So to me making these additions definitely heightened the experience of FF VII. To be honest I now love FF VII´s universe much more because of it and FF VII itself is more captivating to me now than it was when I first played it.
But well I dont understand where the notion of hating on FF VII comes from, I have never encountered it. I have encountered people coming down on FF VIII and of course the massive (and ridiculous) hatred for everything even remotely connected to FF XIII but personally everywhere I turn to people love and revere VII.
While its true that ever since the HD generation (at least thats when I first noticed it) some people avoid FF VII (though they also avoid VIII and IX for the same reason) because of the (compared to PS2 and PS3) inferior graphics, I still think that especially the casual players rather would play VII then VI so I stand by what I said: FF VI to me is the game that needs the remake treatment the most. Also because it wasnt released in europe in 1994 and never had a chance to create a legacy over here like VII did which is just a damn shame.
FF VI and VII both remain the highest rated FFs in the series with 94 %.
But I REALLY agree with something else you guys said: the internet really spreads negativity like a disease. This is something I have pointed out many times in the last few years myself. Whenever something is really successful or popular, there is always going to be some idiots who rage and hate against it to create negativity just for the sake of it. Because for some reason they cant stand it if something that they are not into is that popular. Its disgusting. But thats the darker side of the Internet I am afraid. It will never stop.