‘Final Fantasy XIV' Announced for Nintendo Switch 2

One of the largest and most popular MMORPGs of all time, “Final Fantasy XIV” is expected to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 this August, according to an announcement at this year’s Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival. Not only was this announced, but new information concerning online access and early access was also revealed.

Approximately one month before the official launch of the game on Switch 2, players will be able to enjoy approximately one month of free access to wet their feet. Immediately after the early access window ends, the official service for the game will begin.

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Additionally, it was revealed that a Nintendo Switch Online Membership will not be required for players to enjoy the online experience. It was also revealed that active paying players on other platforms will also get 50% off Switch 2 subscription costs.

What makes this announcement even greater is that this implies that there will be cross-platform play with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox users. It is not clear if server save data will be present, allowing players to select from characters played on other platforms on the Switch 2 version.

Commenters under the X post were both excited about the prospect of playing the MMORPG in handheld mode, while others are concerned about the console being able to run such a large game. One user even wrote, “yoshi-p been teasing this since august and they finally pulled the trigger, switch 2 running an mmo is gonna be the real test tho. you buying it.”

An official release date has not yet been confirmed, though it appears that the August 2026 release window is final.

The Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival also revealed that the “Final Fantasy XIV” free trial will continue, with the inclusion of the “Shadowbringers” DLC for players to continue enjoying the story. A crossover with “Evangelion” titled “Ghosts of Desire” was also revealed, but the event date was not.

Lastly, the next expansion, titled “Evercold,” was also revealed for a January 2027 release. It has not been confirmed whether this DLC will be available on the Switch 2 at release.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 5:04 PM.