Final Fantasy XIV to resume free trials following two-month hiatus
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy XIV will be resuming its free trial, starting February 22, 2022. The session had to be kept close for two months, after their new ‘Endwalker’ expansion created unprecedented demand.
The news comes from FFXIV’s ‘Letter from the Producer’ live stream, where game director and producer Naoki Yoshida outlined several changes to the MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game). Players who were dying to try out the game before purchasing can now play the entirety of the base ‘A Realm Reborn’ and ‘Heavensward’ until they reach level 60. Square Enix is not putting any time restrictions either, letting you get the full Final Fantasy XIV experience.
The Endwalker Expansion launch had created enough hype to clog down the servers, and make it difficult for players to queue up for matches. Now that the congestion had died down, Yoshida claims that more players will be able to sign in with ease. Those interested can reger for the free trial from the official website.
Have you heard?
The critically acclaimed MMORPG #FFXIV‘s Free Trial resumes Feb. 22, 2022!
Help spread the word! 📣❤️🔁 pic.twitter.com/NTs6SC0LNg
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) February 19, 2022
The director also stated that the game will be receiving at least 10 more years of development support, including graphical changes and gameplay tweaks. Coming as part of update 7.0 and beyond, the team will be focused on gradually improving the visual fidelity for a new generation. According to Yoshida, the changes will not be as significant as what a current-gen standalone Final Fantasy game might look like but rather improved while maintaining the current game’s aesthetic.
System requirements on PC (Steam) will be updated with these changes, but support on the PlayStation 4 will remain intact, with further optimization coming down the line. Yoshida also states that the console version will receive new graphical options like performance mode or resolution mode, similar to the PS5.
The graphical overhaul will be focussed on everything – characters, weapons and items, and the surrounding environment. The changes are being made on the textures, lighting, and shaders, letting the team make exing models look better – like a remaster.
Early last month, Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda had penned a New Year’s letter, touching upon the metaverse and what kind of business opportunities it presents. He stated that he was looking to expand his company focus into NFTs, blockchain games, and the metaverse. This caused a lot of controversy on the internet, with many fans worried they will have to buy certain digital assets to continue playing their favourite games.
In the Final Fantasy XIV live steam, however, Naoki Yoshida confirmed that he had no plans of incorporating NFTs into the MMORPG. “We did notice a lot of reactions, especially from the Western audience about NFTs, many comments about how they’re opposed to NFTs,” he said. “I do understand our CEO Matsuda commented on the concept of NFTs in his New Year’s message, and there might be a little bit of sensitivity and nervousness around the topic.”
Yoshida also noted that NFTs as a vehicle is something that would make video game concepts interesting. “I would love if there is an opportunity to speak to the subject of NFTs in an interview that is completely unrelated to FFXIV, because it is an opportunity for a new business model,” he concluded.
