I don't think it needs to be all or nothing like many people seem to think it does; defeating the whispers is defeating the predetermined
fate the characters had before. Now they are not
fated to die. They are free to live and alter their choices -- but that didn't change that the Reunionists are still out there trying to bring Jenova and, Sephiroth together. That is still the goal, and Aerith seems dead set on stopping him (again). The only difference is that the whispers aren't around to
ensure fate's course. Nothing about that really sets up or implies that, say, the Temple of the Ancients no longer exists, or that the Forgotten Capital and Nibelheim are suddenly no longer relevant. We still saw visions of Meteor, Wutai is still set up (perhaps even moreso) as an opposing nation the gang will still go to, and the Turks and Rufus are still chasing Aerith.
Like, it seems like the message to me was that this was about toying with ideas. Altering things and seeing where the pieces fall this time. What does an FF7 look like if Cloud has hints that Aerith may die? What does an FF7 look like where Jessie and Biggs and Wedge
don't die. Where does that put our protags? Will the team run into Jessie at the Golden Saucer, and will Wedge end up helping them exfiltrate from Wutai? Will Biggs be there for Marlene and the rest of the slum children? Are those changes big enough to ensure Sephiroth's total annihilation?
Now that they aren't being hounded by whispers we can see this play out. It will undeniably bring change, but it will be in the form of rippling consequences, not a total rewrite.
You say that like we'll be 100% following the same path and witnessing the same events play out in the same way, when that's not what's been established. I mean yes we'll most likely follow the same path, but there will probably be minor and sometimes major changes to how some of the major beats of the original story play out.
Basically this.