Final Fantasy 14 has a free trial version on for players on the PlayStation and PC, but Xbox players can't access it without additional costs.
After several years of waiting, Final Fantasy 14 will finally release on Xbox soon. But there is a nasty catch! Even though the game offers a free trial version that is accessible to anyone on PlayStation or PC, Xbox gamers will have to face additional costs.
Final Fantasy 14 Is Not Free Xbox
Final Fantasy's Free Trial version allows new players to test out the game until they reach level 70 with no restrictions on playtime. Even after reaching level 70, players will still be able to access all content that is available to that point. Although Final Fantasy 14 is an online game, which would normally require a PlayStation Plus subscription to access online features, that is not the case. Anyone on a PlayStation 5 or PS4 is able to play the free trial version of the game without any additional costs.
Xbox players however, must have a Game Pass Core subscription to access Final Fantasy 14. While the upcoming open beta won't mandate the Game Pass subscription, once the game fully launches, players will need to pay an additional monthly fee of $9.99 to experience Final Fantasy's free trial and everything after that as well.
Find out how to access the open beta here.
The Xbox Game Pass Core subscription gives players a catalog of over 25 games on the console and access to online multiplayer games.
Compared to the benefit of PlayStation players, Xbox users are facing an unfair deal. The Free Trial is a generous offer that was brought to life by Square Enix to give new players the chance to experience the game fully, before having to commit to any purchases. Since it is not "FREE" on Xbox, it raises concerns about fair access for all players.
The Xbox Game Pass is essential for accessing online games, except for free-to-play titles. Therefore, the restriction for Xbox players is due to the fact that Final Fantasy 14 is, technically, not a free-to-play game since it requires payments to play through fully.
Nonetheless, the Xbox Game Pass is generally a pretty good offer, especially for those who enjoy playing a variety of games. So, it might even make sense to give it a shot.