It’s good news and bad news for prospective Final Fantasy 14 players on Xbox Series X|S. The open beta for the beloved massively multiplayer online role-playing game finally has a confirmed start date, but it’s simultaneously been confirmed that players will be required to have an Xbox Game Pass subscription in order to play the full release later down the line.
First thing’s first, the beta start date. New players can dive into the Free Trial version of Final Fantasy 14 (which allows you to experience A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70, without playtime restrictions), from Wednesday, February 21 at 3am ET / 12am PT / 8am GMT / 7pm AEDT. This matches the estimated start date given by director and producer Naoki Yoshida (also known as Yoshi-P) during the Final Fantasy 14 in-person Fan Fest event last month, so it’s not too much of a surprise.
