Beta Release Date: Feb. 21st, 2024 - 8:00 (GMT) / 19:00 (AEDT)
Full Release: March 22, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series S|X
*NOTE: The Beta is only for New Players (You'll need to wait for the official release to bring your character over from another version)
**The Full Version on Xbox will require Xbox Live Gold (The Beta will not)
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hjWrD7pwmKA&pp=ygUJRkYxNCB4Ym94
Open Beta Features
- Includes the base game (A Realm Reborn) and its first two expansions (Heavensward & Stormblood)
- Progress during the Open Beta will transfer to the Full Release
How to Participate
1. As FINAL FANTASY XIV is an online multiplayer game you may need to adjust various privacy settings to play on Xbox Series X|S. You may do so by accessing the Xbox settings menu and navigating through the following options: Settings > Account > Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customize > Communication & multiplayer. The following settings are required:
- "You can join multiplayer games," set to Allow
- "You can join cross-network play," set to Allow
- "Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites," set to Everybody
- "You can communicate outside of Xbox with voice & text," set to Everybody
- "You can see and upload community creations," set to Everybody
3. From the "…" option menu, select and download the FINAL FANTASY XIV Free Trial onto your Xbox Series X|S.
4. After installation finishes, launch the game and follow the on-screen instructions to begin your adventure.
The open beta test contains the same content, features, and limitations as the Free Trial version, minus the ability to make optional Online Store purchases.
The Free Trial version, including the open beta test, will not require an Xbox Game Pass (Core or Ultimate) plan to play. However, the full Xbox Series X|S version will require an Xbox Game Pass (Core or Ultimate) plan to play.
--Account Questions--
by rpm
Q: What does the Free Trial include?
A: The Free Trial includes almost all of the content (see restrictions below) from A Realm Reborn (the base game), Heavensward (the first expansion), and Stormblood (second expansion). The free trial level cap is 70.
Q: Can I play the Free Trial if I've already bought the base game (A Realm Reborn/Starter Edition or via any Complete Edition of the game)/received the base game for free through a promotion (Alienware Arena, Twitch Prime, free PSN giveaway)?
A: No, the Free Trial is not accessible to those who have already bought the base game, nor is there any other way to play the game without paying the subscription if you already have the base game in some form.
Q: I bought ARR/the base game a long time ago, but I see that the Free Trial has the first two expansions included. Do I have less content than those on the Free Trial?
A: No. Heavensward and Stormblood have been granted to anyone who own the base game/ARR.
Q: I already have an SE account with a service account on it (bought the game in the past or played the beta of ARR), can I unlink it from my PSN/Steam account and link a new Free Trial account to it?
A: Some people on ResetEra have had success in Square Enix unlinking their old SE account from their PSN account (best route seems to be via filling out a ticket, then calling them over the phone with your ticket number), but the easiest option is likely to start with a new account(s). I personally haven't heard of anyone unlinking from Steam, but again, you might want to contact support.
See this thread for some more insight:
Final Fantasy 14 refuses to let me change my ID on PS5.
So I wanted to try the Final Fantasy 14 free try on PS5. So I download the game, and the only option is “I already have a Square Enid account” no option to make my own. Okay, odd but I go to my iPad and make an account. Unfortunately it looks like my usual screen name is taken, so I make a new...www.resetera.com
Q: What are the free trial restrictions?
A: https://support.na.square-enix.com/rule.php?id=5382&la=1&tag=freetrial
I have included some brief notes are included to help explain XIV specific terminology.
Other notable things that SE did not include on their official list: Free Trial players cannot play PvP at all, Free Trial players can accept friend requests but not recieve them, Free Trial players cannot buy any housing (not explicitly barred, but it is locked out due to the overlap of other stated rules)
- Free Trial Players are not required to purchase licensed software to use the Free Trial.
- One (1) Free Trial account may be registered to a Square Enix account so long as that Square Enix account has not been previously registered with any version of the game.
- Free Trial Players can purchase select in-game items from the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Store during the Free Trial. Not all in-game items are available for purchase by Free Trial Players (e.g., in-game item gifts).
- Free Trial Players can create up to eight (8) playable characters in each Physical Data Center. (Note: Physical Data Center means region, ex: 8 in NA, 8 in EU, etc.)
- Free Trial account characters have all their levels capped at level seventy (70).
- Free Trial account characters can possess a maximum of 300,000 gil (in-game currency).
- Free Trial Players cannot use the "shout," "yell," or "tell" in-game chat options during the Free Trial.
- Free Trial Players cannot access the in-game market board during the Free Trial.
- Free Trial Players cannot trade with other players during the Free Trial.
- Free Trial Players cannot send in-game letters using the moogle delivery service during the Free Trial.
- Free Trial Players cannot hire retainers during the Free Trial. (Note: retainers are used to sell things on the player market, hold items, etc.)
- Free Trial Players can join a Linkshell or Cross-World Linkshell if invited but cannot create a new Linkshell or Cross-World Linkshell during the Free Trial. (Note: Linkshells are basically chatrooms)
- Free Trial Players cannot create or join a Free Company during the Free Trial. (Note: a Free Company is the XIV term for what is commonly known as a "guild")
- Free Trial Players can join a party if invited or by using the Duty Finder but cannot assemble a party during the Free Trial.
- Free Trial Players cannot create or join a PvP team or participate in Crystalline Conflict, Rival Wings or Frontline.
- Free Trial Players cannot play Ultimate Raids.
- Free Trial Players can log into the Lodestone but cannot use community contents.
- Free Trial Players cannot log into the official forum, or Companion application during the Free Trial.
Q: What do I need to buy if I want to continue playing after the free trial?
A: You need to buy both the base game and the latest expansion, Endwalker. These can be bought separately, or together in the Complete Edition.
Q: Does the base game/the Complete Edition include 30 days for free? Do expansions include 30 days for free?
A: The base game/Complete Edition provides a free 30 days. Every time the base game/Complete Edition is registered on a new platform, you will receive a free 30 days (i.e. if you're playing on PC, buying and registering the PS4/5 version to your account would provide you with a free 30 days.
Q: Does the game have cross-play/cross-progression? Can I play the free trial on two platforms at once?
A: The game has unified servers across all platforms. You can play your account/characters across multiple platforms if you buy the game on multiple platforms. You cannot play a free trial account across multiple platforms, you are locked to the platform you started on for the duration of the Free Trial; if you want to play on two or more platforms, you must buy the game on each platform you wish to play it on.
Q: Can I play the Free Trial on one platform but upgrade to the full version on another using the same account?
Steam players cannot, everyone else can. Steam Free Trial players must upgrade to the full version via Steam, but you can (for example) upgrade from the PS4/5 Free Trial to the Windows (either Steam or non-Steam version) full game.
Q: Can you pay the subscription via PSN/XBL?
A: No, subscriptions are paid via SE's own XIV account management website, MogStation. You can pay with a credit/debit card, PayPal, Steam wallet (Steam version only), or via prepaid game time cards found in stores or on Amazon.
Q: What is the "Recruit a Friend" system? How does it work?
A: The "Recruit a Friend" or "RAF" system is a system that allows both existing and new players to be rewarded for bringing in new players to XIV/joining XIV. For recruits, the rewards are:
RAF codes are entered after you buy the game, but before you pay for your first month. You will receive the rewards upon paying for your first month.
- Friendship Circlet, a headgear that increases XP by +20% when level 25 and below
- 99 Aetheryte Tickets. An Aetheryte Ticket allows you to use a ticket to teleport instead of incurring the normal gil cost.
- A fist bump emote.
- 10 Silver Chocobo Feathers, which you can trade in for gear
--Server Questions--
Q: How does cross-server play work?
A: Servers are first divided by region (officially, "Physical Data Centers") into NA/EU/OCE/JP and are further grouped into clusters called "data centers" (officially, "Logical Data Centers") made up of separate "servers". You can play with others within your own region, but not across regions. For example, someone playing on a North American server can play with anyone on any other North American server or logical data center, but not with anyone playing on any European or Japanese server.
Things like matchmaking and forming parties are done at the logical data center level, not at the region/physical data center level. It's not seamless but you can visit any other logical data center and queue/form parties there.
Q: What considerations do I need to make when choosing a server/what server should I play on?
A: As mentioned above, you can play with anyone on a server in the same region/physical data center as you, but choosing your home server is still an important choice. The main things that are still determined by your server is what Free Companies (read: guilds) you can join (you can only join FCs on your own server) and housing (you can only own housing on your own server).
Some things to factor in:
- There is an Era affiliated Free Company on Ultros on the Primal data center (North America). For more details, please see the OP of the main FFXIV OT.
- Housing is finite. There is a maximum number of houses and apartments on each server. The number of apartments is much larger, but this is still an issue on some servers like Balmung. Houses can be difficult to obtain on many servers, so if this of interest to you, you might want to consider making your character on a lower population server and then playing on a higher population data center/server.
- There are also bonuses for playing on servers with lower population, including double XP, free gil, and free play time. For more info, please consult this article. Generally, the lower population servers are the newer servers:
- North America: All 4 servers in the Dynamis data center
- Europe: Sagittarius & Phantom on Chaos, Alpha & Raiden
- Oceania: All servers
Please check the world status page to confirm each server's status. "New" or "Preferred" servers are ones that have lower populations and qualify for bonuses.
Q: What servers can I not currently make a character on?
A: There are two reasons which you would be prevented from making a character on a specific server, which I'll call "hard locked" and "soft locked":
- Hard locked: The server has it's status listed as "Congested" instead of "Standard", "New", or "Preferred". These servers are manually moved in and out of this status alongside major patches.
- Soft locked: These servers have a red character with an "x" on them, but are NOT marked as "Congested". This is a "soft" lock because it fluctuates based on the current number of players on the server. You can usually get around this one by trying to make a character at off-peak hours.
In the above image, "Siren" is an example of a "hard locked" server, while Behemoth is a "soft locked" server (not congested, but still has the red icon).
Races & Classes
*Note: Hrothgar & Viera are unavailable in the Open Beta
List of Base Classes -> Jobs -> Starting City
- 🛡️ Gladiator -> 🛡️Paladin [TANK] -> Ul'dah
- 🛡️ Marauder -> 🛡️Warrior [TANK] -> Limsa Lominsa
- 👊 Pugilist -> 👊Monk [DPS] -> Ul'dah
- 👊 Lancer -> 👊Dragoon [DPS] -> Gridania
- 🏹 Archer -> 🏹Bard [DPS] -> Gridania
- ✨ Thaumaturge -> ✨Black Mage [DPS] -> Ul'dah
- ✨ Arcanist -> ✨Summoner [DPS] + 🔋Scholar [Healer] -> Limsa Lominsa
- 🔋 Conjurer -> 🔋White Mage [Healer] -> Gridania
Guides & Communities for New Players
For those wanting an in-depth guide on how to begin their adventure and all of the intricacies of FF14, check out this guide by Hotbug
Final Fantasy XIV - Tips for Getting Started Square Enix
In response to the ongoing surge of players I wanted to write some tips for starting Final Fantasy XIV. I had the benefit of experienced friends helping me when I started playing, so I'm sharing some of what they told me and some things that I've learned on my own. This thread makes numerous...
www.resetera.com
For those wanting a more "Question & Answer" format to learn some extra knowledge of FF14, check out this guide by Zen
For new or legacy FFXIV players: some tips for maximizing your enjoyment
Hi all, I wanted to make a tips thread for FFXIV players new to the game, and those who may be giving it a shot with the expansion of the free trial and starter edition to include Heavensward on August 11th. For starters, absolutely please join us in the FFXIV OT thread and share your...
www.resetera.com
The Current Official OT can be found here (Be wary of open spoilers!)
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker |OT2| Newfound Thread Square Enix - OT
Yet shadowed by their triumph in the First, the Warrior of Light and Scions of the Seventh Dawn are home at last. An even greater calamity than refulgent oblivion has been building in their absence, however─a second advent of the Final Days. Should all despair, the myriad conflicts that now...
www.resetera.com
The ResetEra FF14 Discord can be found here (Make some new friends!)
FFXIV-Era Discord and Linkshells recruitment thread
XIV-ERA DISCORD AND LINKSHELL RECRUITMENT THREAD Hello! A lot of you will have downloaded FFXIV's free trial or otherwise and will no doubt be looking for other newbies and people to chat and play with. I thought it might be nice to have a recruitment thread available for people who'd be...
www.resetera.com
To any Veterans & Newcomers, if you feel there are any additional details that should be added to the OP, let me know!
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