Final Fantasy XIV is a game where many players can play together online. It was created and published by Square Enix. Naoki Yoshida directed and produced the game, which was released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Windows in August 2013. This version replaced the unsuccessful 2010 version. Later, the game was supported on PlayStation 4 in April 2014, macOS in July 2015, PlayStation 5 in May 2021, and Xbox Series X/S in March 2024. A version for Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for August 2026. The game is set in the fantasy world of Eorzea, five years after the Seventh Umbral Calamity, which caused great destruction. During the Calamity, the elder primal Bahamut escaped from a prison called Dalamud, an ancient space station, causing an apocalypse. Through magic that affects time, the player character from the original version escaped and reappeared at the start of A Realm Reborn. As Eorzea recovers, the player must fight against a renewed invasion by the Garlean Empire.
The original Final Fantasy XIV was not successful commercially or critically. At that time, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada announced that a new team, led by Yoshida, would take over and fix the game's problems. This team improved the original version while secretly working on a completely new game. The new game, called "Version 2.0," used a new engine, better servers, and updated gameplay, interface, and story. The original version shut down in November 2012, followed by an alpha test for Version 2.0.
The relaunched game received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised its strong mechanics and progression and praised Yoshida for the game's recovery. Over the years, it has been listed as one of the greatest games of all time. After a weak 2013 fiscal year, Square Enix credited the 2014 return to profitability partly to the game's sales and large number of players. By October 2021, the game had over 24 million registered players and became the most profitable Final Fantasy game to date. Since its release, the game has received regular updates, including six major expansion packs: Heavensward (2015), Stormblood (2017), Shadowbringers (2019), Endwalker (2021), Dawntrail (2024), and Evercold (2027). A version for mobile devices was announced in 2024.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy XIV is a type of online game called an MMORPG. In this game, players can interact with each other and the world around them. Players create and personalize their characters, choosing names, races, genders, facial features, and starting classes. At the beginning, players can only choose to be a Warrior or a Mage as their starting class. Other classes, like those focused on crafting or nature, are not available at first. Each character must also be assigned to a specific game server. While all languages are available on every server, servers are located in different regions (such as North America, Europe, Japan, and Oceania) to help reduce delays between players and the game. Players are encouraged to choose a server in their region. No matter the server or language, players can use a large collection of translated game terms and phrases, which helps players who speak different languages communicate.
Both the PC and home console versions of the game use the same user interface (UI) and control system, allowing players to use a mix of keyboard, mouse, and game controller. On PC, the default menu system uses drag-and-drop features, while console versions use a menu system similar to the PlayStation 3's XrossMediaBar. This bar helps players access menus, maps, logs, and settings. Both versions include a head-up display with a message log, party status, mini-map, and action bar. Players can adjust the size and position of all UI elements.
Commands and actions differ slightly between PC and console versions. On PC, players can use point-and-click or keyboard commands, including customizable sequences called macros. On consoles, commands and macros are grouped into a "Cross Hotbar," which has four icons arranged in a cross shape. These are accessed using shoulder buttons and directional or face buttons. Players can cycle through these groups quickly. This interface is also available to PC players who use controllers.
Players improve their characters by earning experience points (EXP) and obtaining better equipment. When a character gains enough EXP, they "level up," which increases their abilities and unlocks new actions. Main sources of EXP include completing quests, exploring dungeons, participating in events called Full Active Time Events (FATEs), and defeating enemies. Quests, including the main story quests, are short tasks given by non-player characters that reward items and EXP. Completing main story quests advances the game's story. Some quests can be repeated daily or through a system called "Levequests," which uses a limited number of allowances. Dungeons often require teams, but some can be played alone with computer-controlled helpers. Dungeons vary in difficulty, with some designed for new players and others for experienced players. The Duty Roulette system randomly assigns players to accessible dungeons and gives bonus EXP daily. FATEs allow large groups of players to work together on tasks like fighting monsters, defending locations, or attacking enemy bases. Killing enemies also gives EXP, with extra rewards from the Hunting Log for killing specific creatures. At the highest level, character progression focuses on obtaining stronger equipment, which is measured by "item level." This equipment can be earned through endgame dungeons, crafting, raids, battles against powerful enemies, and special hunts.
In addition to fighting enemies (PvE), Final Fantasy XIV includes player versus player (PvP) combat. The Feast was a battle arena where teams of four players competed, but it was replaced by Crystalline Conflict, where two teams of five players race to move a crystal to their team's goal. Another mode, Frontlines, is a large battlefield where teams of up to 24 players compete for points based on their allegiance to one of three Grand Companies. The third mode, Rival Wings, involves controlling minion waves and piloting mechs to destroy enemy objectives. PvP matches give players a unique currency separate from the main currency, "Gil," which can be used to buy exclusive items like armor and weapons.
Players fight enemies using physical attacks, weapon skills, and magic. Most game content requires specific group sizes, such as four players for dungeons or eight players for boss battles. The "Duty Finder" automatically matches players for group activities across servers. The "Party Finder" is a bulletin board where players can recruit others for any content. In a group, players take on roles like tank, healer, and damage dealer. Tanks draw enemy attention, healers support the group, and damage dealers attack enemies. Teamwork and strategy are essential to defeat strong enemies. "Limit Breaks" are special abilities that can only be used when players perform their roles well.
Free Companies are player-run groups organized under one of three Grand Companies. Members can access shared resources, private chat, and temporary game boosts. They can also buy homes in residential areas, grow items in gardens, train chocobos, and use airships. Linkshells are another way to connect with others; players can join multiple linkshells for private chats, even if they are part of one Free Company.
Under the Armoury System, a character's equipped weapon determines their class. Players can change classes by switching weapons. Classes are divided into four groups: Warriors (physical combat), Mages (magic), and two others (crafting and nature), though the latter two are not available at the start.
Plot
Final Fantasy XIV takes place on Hydaelyn, a fictional world with many different environments across several continents, with a focus on the region called Eorzea. Eorzea includes four main city-states: Gridania, located in the dense Black Shroud forest; Ul'dah, a trade-focused sultanate in the dry Thanalan region; Limsa Lominsa, a seafaring city-state on the island of Vylbrand; and Ishgard, a religious and isolated nation in the snowy mountains of Coerthas. A land bridge connects Eorzea to two other continents to the east, which have been taken over by the Garlean Empire. Other groups in Eorzea include native tribes like the Ixali and Kobolds, the scholarly city of Sharlayan, and Ala Mhigo, a region in eastern Eorzea that was taken over by the Garlean Empire twenty years ago. When the Garlean Empire attacked, Ishgard left the Eorzean Alliance, causing it to collapse. The once-thriving Mor Dhona region was heavily damaged during a previous Garlean attack.
Eorzea’s history is divided into two types of periods: the prosperous "Astral" eras and the destructive "Umbral" eras, which are caused by major disasters called Calamities. The First Umbral Era ended the time when gods were active in the world. The Twelve, powerful deities who protect Eorzea, stopped interacting directly with people. After Umbral eras, new Astral eras begin. During the Third Astral Era, the Allagan Empire advanced technology greatly, including building airplanes. Each Calamity is linked to one of six elements: air, lightning, fire, earth, ice, and water. The Sixth Astral Era was expected to last forever, but five years ago, the Garlean Empire caused the Seventh Umbral Calamity.
Garlean scientists worked on a project called Meteor, which used the smaller moon Dalamud as a weapon. Under Legatus Nael van Darnus, they planned to crash the moon into Eorzea to destroy all opposition. In response, the Eorzean Alliance reunited and reactivated their military groups. Adventurers defeated Nael van Darnus but could not stop Dalamud from falling. At the Battle of Carteneau Flats in Mor Dhona, Dalamud was revealed to be an ancient Allagan prison holding the primal dragon Bahamut. When Bahamut escaped, the Seventh Umbral Calamity began. Louisoix Leveilleur called on the Twelve to trap Bahamut but failed. Before dying, he sent adventurers "beyond the reach of time" to help them again when needed. Meanwhile, the Garlean Empire became unstable after the old Emperor Solus fell ill.
The player character is an Eorzean adventurer during the Seventh Umbral Era who joins one of three Grand Companies: Gridania’s Order of the Twin Adder, led by Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna; Ul’dah’s Immortal Flames, led by Flame General Raubahn Aldynn; or Limsa Lominsa’s Maelstrom, led by Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn. Their allies include Minfilia and her Scions of the Seventh Dawn, a group formed from Louisoix’s Circle of Knowing and Minfilia’s Path of the Twelve. Other members are Thancred, Yda, Papalymo, Urianger, and Y’shtola. Y’shtola often appears in other games like Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call and Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. Louisoix’s grandchildren, Alphinaud and Alisaie, also help Eorzea. Cid Garlond leads Garlond Ironworks, a company that builds airships, weapons, and infrastructure for the Alliance.
Garlean enemies include Legatus Gaius van Baelsar of the XIVth Imperial Legion and his officers, Livia sas Junius, Rhitahtyn sas Arvina, and Nero tol Scaeva. Native tribes also threaten peace by summoning primals, powerful beings that drain life from the land. These actions are controlled by the Ascians, immortal figures who want to awaken their dark god, Zodiark, and destroy Hydaelyn.
The game begins with a vision of the player character defeating a masked man in black robes. The adventurer wakes up shortly before arriving at one of the starting cities: Gridania, Ul’dah, or Limsa Lominsa. Players returning from the original game appear in a column of light. Through small jobs and determination, the player joins the city’s Adventurer’s Guild and is compared to the "Warriors of Light," who disappeared during the Seventh Umbral Calamity. The adventurer stops attacks by masked men and gains the attention of the Scions. Minfilia explains that the player’s visions are called the Echo, a power marking chosen representatives of Hydaelyn, the deity for whom the world is named.
After joining the Scions, the adventurer and Thancred investigate kidnappings and stolen crystals in Thanalan by the Amalj’aa tribe. The tribe captures the player to use the primal Ifrit, but the Echo prevents Ifrit from being controlled. The adventurer defeats Ifrit and becomes a hero, gaining the interest of all three Grand Companies. During a memorial for the Battle of Carteneau, the player meets Alphinaud and Alisaie, who disagree about the purpose of nationalist events. The Scions send the adventurer to the Black Shroud to help the Sylphs, a peaceful tribe whose extremists summoned the primal Ramuh against the Garleans. While saving the Sylph elder, the adventurer meets Lahabrea, a leader of the Ascians.
Minfilia sends the player to stop the Kobolds from summoning the primal Titan. The Scions ask for help from the retired Company of Heroes. After completing trials disguised as banquet preparations, the Company’s leader reveals the way forward. The adventurer defeats Titan and learns that Lahabrea is helping Gaius van Baelsar, who plans to take over Eorzea again. When the adventurer returns to the Scions’ headquarters, they find Minfilia and others captured by the Garleans, with the remaining Scions killed. After mourning the fallen, Alphinaud returns to recruit the adventurer to rebuild the Scions and defeat the Ixali primal Garuda. To fight Garuda, they must help Cid Garlond remember his past.
Cid, Alphinaud, and the adventurer travel to Coerthas, the land of the isolated Ishgardians, to find Cid’s lost airship, the Enterprise. After befriending the Ishgardian commander Haurchefant Greystone and stopping a plot by heretics, they recover the Enterprise from a fortress overrun by dragons. With the help of the adventurer’s Echo, Cid regains memories of his past as a Garlean engineer who defected to Eorzea. The adventurer acquires a special crystal to cut through Garuda’s vortex. They fight Garuda until she tortures Kobold and Amalj’aa prisoners into summoning Titan and Ifrit again. Gaius and Lahabrea use the Ultima Weapon, an ancient Allagan machine, to consume the primals and gain power. Lahabrea urges G
Development
The original version of Final Fantasy XIV was first developed under the name "Rapture" between late 2004 and early 2005. It was officially announced in 2009 and directed by Nobuaki Komoto, with Hiromichi Tanaka as the producer. Tanaka also worked on Final Fantasy XI, and the game used the Crystal Tools engine, which was previously used for Final Fantasy XIII. After a short beta test that had many problems, the game was released in September 2010. It received mostly negative reviews from players and fans. In December, then-Square Enix President Yoichi Wada apologized for the issues and announced major changes to the development team, including removing Tanaka from the project and demoting Komoto to Lead Designer. Monthly fees for the game were paused, and the planned PlayStation 3 version was canceled. Naoki Yoshida, who had worked on Dragon Quest X, was brought in to oversee the project as both producer and director.
Yoshida faced several challenges in improving the game. His first task was to rebuild trust with players and improve the game’s quality. To do this, he started writing "Letters from the Producer," which shared updates about the game’s design, changes, and player feedback. However, outdated programming made it difficult to make major improvements. As a result, the team began planning a completely new version of the game from scratch in January 2011, with development starting in April. This included creating a new game engine and server structure. Meanwhile, improvements to the original game were made in July 2011 with patch 1.18, which included changes to the battle system, new features like auto-attack and instanced dungeons, removal of the "fatigue" system, and the introduction of the Grand Company storyline. Later patches continued to refine gameplay and set up events for the Seventh Umbral Era.
On the anniversary of the game’s release, Wada said the original launch had "greatly damaged" the Final Fantasy brand. In October 2011, Wada and Yoshida announced a new version of Final Fantasy XIV, called "Version 2.0," which had been in development since January 2011. A roadmap for future updates for both PC and PlayStation 3 was shared. Existing players received the new PC version for free, with their progress carried over. Monthly fees were reintroduced in January 2012 to cover redevelopment costs. To encourage players to pay, Yoshida introduced the "Legacy Campaign," which rewarded those who paid for three months of service with lower fees, an exclusive in-game item, and credit in the new version.
At the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012, Square Enix showed "Agni's Philosophy," a demo of their new Luminous Studio engine. Although some Final Fantasy XIV developers worked on Luminous, Yoshida noted that both engines were designed for offline games and not for online environments with many players. Version 2.0 used a "completely different engine," but Yoshida called it a "sibling" to Luminous because of similar structures. In July 2012, Square Enix announced that Version 2.0 would be named Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Development for A Realm Reborn increased, and in November 2012, the original game’s servers were shut down, marking the end of the old version with a cinematic trailer called "End of an Era."
At the Game Developers Conference 2014, Yoshida discussed the challenges of updating the original game while developing A Realm Reborn. He identified three main reasons for the original launch’s failure: overemphasizing graphics, a lack of modern MMORPG expertise, and a belief that future patches could fix all problems. These issues stemmed from the team’s experience with Final Fantasy XI, where they focused too much on graphics and not enough on server performance. Yoshida emphasized the need to learn from games like World of Warcraft instead of relying on older examples.
For A Realm Reborn, Yoshida aimed to appeal to both experienced MMORPG players and newcomers. He prioritized controller-friendly gameplay and made 400 key design decisions to speed up development. The original game’s updates served as a testing ground for A Realm Reborn. Features like the Duty Finder system were created to help busy players. The game’s structure was designed to make it easier for players who had stopped playing to return. Yoshida stressed that communication with players and rebuilding trust were more important than sales. Events like "Letters from the Producer LIVE" helped connect the team with fans.
The alpha test for A Realm Reborn began after the original game’s shutdown and ended in late 2012. Wada admitted that developing A Realm Reborn delayed other Square Enix projects. Yoshida shared a roadmap for the beta test, which had four phases starting in February 2013. He insisted the game would not launch until it was ready, calling an early release "like destroying the company." In May 2013, Square Enix announced the release date, pre-order bonuses, and a collector’s edition with an art book, bonus disc, soundtrack, and in-game items. In June 2013, a PlayStation 4 version was announced for 2014. Early access began on August 24, with the game launching on August 27.
Mobile version
On November 20, 2024, Square Enix announced that a mobile version of the game Final Fantasy XIV, called Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, is being developed for iOS and Android devices. Game director Naoki Yoshida explained that the mobile version will be "a sister to FFXIV, aiming to recreate the original's story and combat mechanics on mobile devices." The game is created by Square Enix and LightSpeed Studios, a company owned by Tencent. The first testing phase will start in China, and the game will be released worldwide after that. According to Famitsu, Final Fantasy XIV Mobile will be free to play and will not include gacha mechanics. The game will begin with nine battle jobs, five races (Hyur, Elezen, Lalafell, Miqo'te, and Roegadyn), and will cover the base game of Final Fantasy XIV, A Realm Reborn.
The game was first released in China on June 19, 2025, under the name Final Fantasy XIV: Crystal World.
Reception
Final Fantasy XIV received mostly positive reviews and strong sales after its release. Before the game came out, both critics and fans were surprised by its quality and how well it was made. IGN's Charles Onyett noted many improvements over the original game and said, "It seems like Square is making the right choices to fix the problems from the first version." After a strong showing at Gamescom 2012, the game won Destructoid's Gamescom Community Choice Award. The editorial team noted, "The changes to the game's engine, interface, and combat system made it very different from the version that disappointed many players." However, GameSpot's Jonathan Toyad praised the changes but said some features felt similar to other modern MMORPGs.
Most reviewers agreed that the remade game did well with traditional MMORPG features and fixed the issues from the original version. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot said the game stuck to the basics of the genre, calling it "not as innovative as other games." However, he praised the game's writing, which many critics also highlighted. USgamer's Pete Davison loved the story and noted that non-player characters responded to the player's actions in a way that helped build the game world. Many reviewers liked the ability to play as multiple classes on one character, a feature from the original version. Davison said the different class mechanics made each class feel unique in how they played.
The console versions of the game had similar features to the PC version. Phil Kollar of Polygon said the game's controller support was "Final Fantasy XIV's biggest gift to the MMORPG genre." The PlayStation 3 version had some issues with frame rate, loading times, and graphics, but these were fixed in the PlayStation 4 version, making it equal to the PC release. Kollar and Leif Johnson of IGN said the game played well on PlayStation Vita through Remote Play with only minor lag.
Critics were happy with the small improvements in A Realm Reborn. Adam Harshberger of GamesRadar compared it to a "buffet dinner with everyone's favorite meal," accepting that it wasn't very innovative. Kevin VanOrd said the game felt like the "old world" of MMORPGs, safe and familiar. Johnson and Davison saw the new version as a strong base for future content. Kollar said it was a return to form, "the first Final Fantasy game in years to capture the energy and joy that made me love the series." Motoki Shinohara of Famitsu said, "I'm really glad I'm back home in Eorzea."
By the end of its first week, the PlayStation 3 version of the game was second in Japan's sales charts, with 184,000 physical copies sold. In late October 2013, the game had 1.5 million registrations. It was the 16th best-selling PC game in the United States in 2013. In Japan, the PlayStation 3 version was ranked 32 in sales, with 244,574 retail copies sold. After a poor fiscal year in 2013, Square Enix leaders praised the game's sales and subscriptions for helping the company become profitable again in 2014. Yoshida said the success of A Realm Reborn was due to its traditional monthly subscription model. He believes the free-to-play model is unreliable, as it requires focusing on consumable or cosmetic items to make money, leaving less time for quality story and battle content. He also said over 80% of players are satisfied with the subscription model because they trust it will provide steady, high-quality content. Yoshida has no plans to switch to a free-to-play model soon.
By August 2018, the game had over 14 million registered players, increasing to more than 22 million by April 2021. Before the fourth expansion, Endwalker, Square Enix said the game had over 24 million registered players and was now the most profitable Final Fantasy game. By January 2024, the game had 30 million registered players, six months before its fifth expansion, Dawntrail.
In Japan, Shadowbringers sold about 22,260 physical copies for the PlayStation 4 during its launch week in July 2019.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was well received on many "Game of the Year" lists. It was named Best MMO of the year by Game Informer, ZAM, and Joystiq's Massively. AbleGamers called it the most accessible mainstream game of 2013. RPGFan named it the best MMO and Game of the Year. Players voted it Reader's Choice at ZAM and Game Informer. At industry awards, A Realm Reborn won the Special Award at the 2013 PlayStation Awards and the Award for Excellence at the CESA's 2014 Japan Game Awards.
Stormblood won "Best MMO" at Game Informer's Best of 2017 Awards and came in second for the same category in their Reader's Choice Best of 2017 awards. It was nominated for "Still Playing" at the 2017 and 2018 Golden Joystick Awards and for "Best Expansion" at PC Gamer's 2017 Game of the Year Awards. The game was also nominated for "Best Ongoing Game" at the 2019 Game Critics Awards and for "Best Community Support" and "Best RPG" at The Game Awards 2019.
Shadowbringers was nominated for "Best Game Expansion" and "PlayStation Game of the Year" at the 2019 Golden Joystick Awards; for "Role-Playing Game of the Year" at the 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards; and for "Evolving Game" at the 16th British Academy Games Awards. It won the "Excellence in Multiplayer" award at the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards and the "Best Online Game" award at the Famitsu Game Awards 2019.
Endwalker won "Role-Playing Game of the Year" at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and "Online Game of the Year" at the following year's ceremony. It also won "Excellence in Narrative," "Excellence in Original Score," and "Video Game of the Year" at the 2022 SXSW Gaming Awards. It won the "Evolving Game" award at the 19th British Academy Games Awards and was nominated again in 2021. The game won "Best Ongoing Game" and "Best Community Support" at The Game Awards in 2021 and 2022 and was nominated in both
Related media
A short TV series connected to the game, called Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light, was released in 2017. A manga that combines stories from Saki and Final Fantasy XIV, titled Saki & Final Fantasy XIV, was published in Japan in January 2021. Another manga series, Final Fantasy XIV: Eorzea Academy, came out in December 2021.
Three books that explain the game’s story and world, titled Encyclopaedia Eorzea I, Encyclopaedia Eorzea II, and Encyclopaedia Eorzea III, were released on October 17, 2016, November 24, 2018, and December 19, 2023, respectively. A cookbook with recipes for dishes from the game was also published.