Square Enix commits to release more games on Xbox, starting with Final Fantasy XIV

By Tomas Franzese Published July 28, 2023

During Final Fantasy XIV’s FanFest today, Square Enix not only confirmed that its popular MMO would finally come to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in spring 2024, but that it will commit to bringing more of its games to Xbox going forward.

A screenshot of Final Fantasy XIV running on Xbox. — Square Enix

Over the past decade, Square Enix tended to partner with PlayStation a lot more than Xbox. In 2023 alone, Final Fantasy XVI launched as a PS5 exclusive, while other Square Enix games, like Octopath Traveler 2 and Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, avoided launching on Xbox entirely. That all seems to be changing, though.

Recommended Videos

Following a reveal at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in Las Vegas today that the Dawntrail expansion is coming in summer 2024, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer and Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu came out on stage to discuss Square Enix’s future with Xbox.

First, we learned that Final Fantasy XIV itself is finally coming to Xbox Series X/S with faster loading and 4K support. An open beta test will be held alongside the launch of Patch 6.5x, while a full release is planned for spring 2024.

This partnership is not just for one game, though. “Starting with today’s announcement and whenever possible, we are planning to bring our games to Xbox for players to enjoy,” Kiryu said while on stage, according to X account Nova Crystallis. This sentiment is reflected in an Xbox Wire post about the port, where Square Enix PR director Luke Karmali states that “this is just the beginning of our journey together.”

Final Fantasy XIV is available now for PC, Mac, PS4, and PS5. It comes to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in spring 2024.

A former Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese now reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…

Topics

Gaming

Is Final Fantasy 14 cross-platform?

A party of characters stands together in a Final Fantasy XIV dungeon.

In the world of MMORPGs, Final Fantasy XIV has risen to the top alongside (or perhaps even surpassing) World of Warcraft. Besides it being one of the best Final Fantasy games, one thing that sets it apart from most in the genre is the fact that it is on consoles as well as PC. For the first decade or so of its life, it was only on PlayStation and PC, but now Xbox players are also able to explore the world of Eorzea and beyond. MMOs are best played with friends, so one would hope it would have cross-platform support like Genshin Impact. Let's party up and see if you can raid with your friends regardless of platform in Final Fantasy XIV.
Is Final Fantasy 14 cross-platform?

Yes, Final Fantasy XIV was originally only cross-platform between PlayStation and PC players, but ever since the game came to Xbox, those players have also been entered into the fold. You're free to meet, team up with, and experience the entire game with players on all platforms so long as you're connected to the same server.

Gaming

3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (November 1-3)

xbox game pass recommendations november 1 throne and liberty

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was a monumental addition to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate last week, so no week of additions to the service will live up to that for a while. Still, that didn't stop some more games from trickling onto Microsoft's subscription service in the wake of the latest Call of Duty. In fact, the games that came to the service were quite good. If you're wondering what you should be checking out next as a Game Pass subscriber after you're done with Black Ops 6, consider trying one of these games.
Ashen
ASHEN | Gamescom 2018 Gameplay

In July, A44 released Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, and it was part of Xbox Game Pass from day one. Now, the studio has brought its previous Soulslike to the subscription service. Originally released in 2018, Ashen stood out from the crowd at the time thanks to its distinct, grayish cel-shaded look and open-world design years before Elden Ring came out. Ashen still stands as one of the best indie Soulslikes ever released, so those who have never played it before should give it a shot now that it's on Xbox Game Pass. It'll also make for an enjoyable Game Pass Soulslike double-feature with Flintlock.

Gaming

Final Fantasy 14 eases its inactivity policy due to Hurricane Helene

A Final Fantasy 14 character with bunny ears and gray skin standing on a ship.

Final Fantasy XIV players are getting a temporary reprieve from a game inactivity policy that would get rid of player homes if they didn't log in enough due to Hurricane Helene, which hit the U.S. last week. Starting October 2, the popular MMO is suspending the requirement that players log on every 45 days, otherwise their estates get demolished.

This pertains to all players who connect to the Aether, Crystal, Dynamis, and Primal data centers -- which are all North American servers. If your house was already primed for demolition before the change, you can cancel it just by entering your home or doing work on your land.