Final Fantasy XIV free trial returns next week

The Final Fantasy XIV free trial will return next week, Square Enix has confirmed. Previously suspended, this free to play option will go live once again from February 22, 2022.

Endwalker, the MMO’s newest expansion,  released on December 7, 2021, adding a huge glut of content from quests, dungeons, and raids, to the Reaper and Sage classes. Having soared in popularity over the past couple of years, server queue times rocketed on Endwalker’s launch day. Square subsequently removed Final Fantasy XIV from sale – a drastic yet effective measure.

This also meant that those play Final Fantasy XIV via the free trial were left out in the cold. Given how well Endwalker was received by critics and gamers, there are plenty of prospective players waiting in the wings to finally get a taste of the hit MMO.

In response to the surge of players last year and long server queues, Square Enix is expanding the number of data centres it operates in every major region to help cope with demand.

If you’re even remotely interested in playing, the Final Fantasy XIV free trial is packed with content. It includes everything from the base game as well as its first expansion, Heavensward.

Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker Review

Our resident Final Fantasy XIV expert, Reuben, scored Endwalker a mighty 9 out 10 in his review:

“Once you’re past the horrendously long queues to actually get into the game, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker was an almost flawless experience. This conclusion to a decade-long tale is told with a visual, musical and narrative artistry that isn’t often seen in any medium. Endwalker doesn’t quite reach the heights of earlier parts of the series, but it sure as hell ends the current arc with a bang and everyone involved with this game should feel damn proud of themselves.”

Despite being multiplayer-focused, there are plenty of long-time FF fans who regard XIV as the best entry in the series. It also boasts one of the best comeback stories in gaming history, Square salvaging an MMO that was dead on arrival and turning it into one of the genre’s forerunners.