Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox requires Game Pass and Square Enix subs

Maybe stick to the free trial

Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy 14 Xbox beta date and snuck in an extra little detail: You need an Xbox Game Pass sub for the full game. You can, however, play the MMO game's beta and the free trial without a subscription.

The news comes from Square Enix's brief beta rundown, and it’s a surprising announcement. Not only do you already have to pay a monthly fee for the full version, but if you’re playing on PlayStation, you don’t have to purchase a PS Plus subscription.

Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail: Everything coming to patch 7.0

On the bright side, the free trial includes a substantial amount of Final Fantasy 14. You can play the main story up through Stormblood’s finale, and that includes tackling all main story dungeons with a multiplayer party or alone. For context, that's roughly three full-length RPGs and about 250-300 hours of story and light side quests.

The trial comes with some restrictions, though. Free players can’t join a company, play PvP, amass more than 300,000 gil (FF14 money) at a time, or even use the in-game market board for buying clothes and other items.

That sounds like a lot, and some of the restrictions feel a bit punitive. Take it from someone who played on the free trial for a year, though – you’re not missing that much. If nothing else, you can finish A Realm Reborn, FF14’s slowest and weakest point, and then decide if the cost is worth it.

The price for a monthly FF14 subscription and monthly Game Pass core subscription together is roughly $23, so take your time and give it some thought before signing up.

Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail adds female Hrothgar at last