'Final Fantasy XIV' just got a whole lot more appealing for newcomers
Final Fantasy XIV might not be free-to-play, but it just got a whole lot closer.
Square Enix has officially removed the 14-day access restriction on free trial accounts. That means you can start a new trial character and play as much FFXIV as you want until you hit level 35. Once that happens you need to either subscribe or start another character.
This marks a major change for one of the last top-tier subscription-based MMORPGs not called World of Warcraft. Previously, the free trial ended after a two week timer elapsed, regardless of your progress.
You're getting an awful lot of free content now. Leveling even one character up to 35 will take some time -- at least a few days of moderate play (or one day of super-efficient, heavy play). And you're allowed to create as many as eight, as long as there's no more than one per World (the FFXIV designation for servers).
Prior to hitting level 35, there aren't many restrictions on what you can do in the game. You'll be able to link up with friends and randoms, visit the Deep Dungeon, and take advantage of the cross-platform play between PC and PlayStation 4.
That's another cool thing: FFXIV is available for PS4, and it works surprisingly well as a console game.
I dove down the FFXIV rabbit hole for a couple weeks during a lull in my Destiny obsession. I didn't play for long -- never even reached level 20 -- because the initial 30-day subscription expired and I didn't re-up it.
Now that the ticking clock is gone, I'm actually tempted to jump back in and keep going with my character. FFXIV is a standard MMORPG in many ways, but it's set in a fantasy universe filled with familiar touchstones. Like Chocobos. Everybody loves Chocobos.
To try it for yourself, head over to the game's official website and create an account or -- for the PS4 folks -- find and download the free client in the PS Store. It's been a while, but I remember the setup process being quick and easy.
For the low price of absolutely nothing, there's no harm in checking this game out, especially if you've been jonesing for more Final Fantasy after the long-awaited 2016 release of Final Fantasy XV.
Topics Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
