In the end, Xbox house owners will quickly get to benefit from the MMORPG PlayStation gamers have loved for almost a decade. Last Fantasy XIV is headed to Xbox Sequence X/S in spring 2024 after being a PlayStation console unique since 2014.
Producer and director Naoki Yoshida made the announcement on stage on the sport’s 2023 fanfest in Las Vegas, NV alongside Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. The Xbox Sequence X/S model will supply 4K graphics and quicker load instances, like its PlayStation 5 counterpart. Whereas the total launch continues to be virtually a yr away, an open beta shall be accessible for gamers to strive a lot sooner when patch 6.5x arrives within the months forward.
For many who have been dwelling underneath an adamantoise shell, Last Fantasy XIV has you full fetch quests, dungeons, and raids throughout the dazzling world of Hydaelyn, stuffed with political intrigue and legendary marvel. The sport was one of many first live-service disasters when it first launched in 2013, and was even solely shutdown for a time earlier than re-releasing as A Realm Reborn.
![Specner And Yoshida announce the Xbox port at Fanfest 2023.](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_fit,f_auto,g_center,q_60,w_645/96e2aceaad77bcd58d1189421895aea0.jpg)
It’s recieved more and more glorious expansions ever since, every introducing new characters, lessons, and conflicts. And whereas it’s an MMO, a Obligation Assist system allows you to play solo with AI-controlled NPCs. By the point Last Fantasy XIV involves Xbox Sequence X/S, Sq. Enix says the function will allow gamers to finish every little thing from the beginning of the sport up via its most up-to-date Endwalker growth with out ever needing to work together with one other human being.
Why did it take so lengthy to get FFXIV on Xbox?
The story of how we obtained right here, nevertheless, is a protracted one. Yoshida was requested as early as 2013 why the sport wasn’t on Xbox One. His reply on the time was that Microsoft’s stance on crossplay was too restrictive. “The principle cause from our aspect is that I don’t need the neighborhood to be divided; to be break up into two or extra. For instance, one participant could be on the PC model, one other could be on the PS4 model, and I’m enjoying the Xbox model – however we’re not capable of be a part of the identical sport servers,” he advised RPGSite on the time. “That’s simply… I simply don’t like the concept. I disagree with it.”
That was again when Microsoft was the corporate seemingly standing in the way in which of crossplay between the 2 consoles. Years later, roles had been reversed, with Sony pushing again in opposition to crossplay for video games like Fortnite. Yoshida repeated his requirement for crossplay in a 2017 interview with Kotaku, and issues appeared to be progressing in that course not lengthy after.
Spencer publicly promised to carry the sport to Xbox on the X019 fanfest occasion in London. “We now have an amazing relationship with Yoshida-san and we’re working via what it means to carry a cross-platform MMO, that they’ve run for years,” he advised VGC on the time. “It is going to be one of many video games that’s coming and it’s one thing that I do know our Xbox followers shall be extremely excited to see.”
No deal immeidately materialized, nevertheless. Yoshida was requested once more what the issue was throughout a 2021 interview across the time Last Fantasy XIV got here to PS5. “So I really feel unhealthy for saying the identical factor each time,” he advised Straightforward Allies. “However we’re nonetheless in discussions with Microsoft and I really feel like our conversations are stepping into a optimistic tone.”
The optimistic tone of these conversations seemingly wasn’t sufficient to lastly get Sony to comply with crossplay although, till now. The 2 corporations additionally just lately reached a 10-year settlement for Name of Obligation to maintain coming to PlayStation after Microsoft’s acqusition of Activision Blizzard is finalized. Purely a coincidence, I’m certain. Sony, Microsoft, and Sq. Enix didn’t instantly reply to requets for remark.