Final Fantasy XIV is Finally Coming to Xbox

At long last, Final Fantasy XIV, the popular MMORPG that’s been console exclusive to PlayStation since its relaunch in 2013, will finally make its way to Xbox.

CEO of Xbox, Phil Spencer, joined Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida and Square Enix President Takashi Kiryu on stage at FFXIV Fan Fest in Las Vegas to announce that the biggest massively multiplayer online game next to World of Warcraft is coming to Microsoft’s systems next spring.

“Enjoyed being onstage with Yoshi-P and Kiryu-san to announce Final Fantasy XIV coming to Xbox. We’re thrilled that the Xbox community will join the Warriors of Light and we look forward to partnering closely with Square Enix on future games,” Spencer tweeted shortly after the announcement.

The announcement ends a somewhat frosty relationship between the Xbox brand and Square Enix. Many of Square Enix’s biggest recent games, including Final Fantasy VII Remake and the series’ latest entry, Final Fantasy XVI, have been notably absent on Microsoft’s platforms.

Spencer indicated during his surprise appearance at FFXIV Fest that the MMO coming to Xbox is just the beginning of a new partnership between the two companies.

“We deeply respect the rich legacy of Square Enix, and we look forward to building the relationship that we’ve established in bringing Final Fantasy XIV to Xbox, and partnering closely with you and the Square Enix team on future games,” Spencer said.

Xbox players who want to get an early start on the game will also be able to participate in an open beta around the release of its 6.5 content patch, Yoshida said, with progress set to transfer to the full release.

Final Fantasy XIV has had a tumultuous journey towards its eventual success. After a disastrous launch in 2010 marred by technical issues and dated mechanics, the game was eventually temporarily shut down as Yoshida was brought on to lead developers towards a total rework.

When it was re-released in 2013 under the subtitle “A Realm Reborn”, it was met with high praise critically and commercially, quickly becoming one of the most successful non-World Of Warcraft MMOs. It was also one of the few console friendly MMOs on the market, launching on PlayStation 3, coming to PlayStation 4 the following year, and getting a port to PlayStation 5 in 2021.

Square Enix also announced in Vegas that the game’s fifth expansion, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, will launch sometime in Summer 2024. The new expansion seems to take heavy cues from Final Fantasy X’s tropical setting, and marks the first chapter in a brand new story for the MMO.