In the end, Xbox house owners will quickly get to benefit from the MMORPG PlayStation gamers have loved for almost a decade. Closing 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 provide 4K graphics and sooner load instances, like its PlayStation 5 counterpart. Whereas the total launch remains to be nearly a yr away, an open beta will likely be accessible for gamers to attempt a lot sooner when patch 6.5x arrives within the months forward.
For individuals who have been dwelling underneath an adamantoise shell, Closing Fantasy XIV has you full fetch quests, dungeons, and raids throughout the dazzling world of Hydaelyn, stuffed with political intrigue and legendary surprise. The sport was one of many first live-service disasters when it first launched in 2013, and was even fully shutdown for a time earlier than re-releasing as A Realm Reborn.
It’s recieved more and more glorious expansions ever since, every introducing new characters, courses, and conflicts. And whereas it’s an MMO, a Responsibility Help system enables you to play solo with AI-controlled NPCs. By the point Closing Fantasy XIV involves Xbox Sequence X/S, Sq. Enix says the characteristic will allow gamers to finish every little thing from the beginning of the sport up by way of its most up-to-date Endwalker enlargement 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 received right here, nevertheless, is an extended 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 primary cause from our aspect is that I don’t need the neighborhood to be divided; to be cut up into two or extra. For instance, one participant may be on the PC model, one other may be on the PS4 model, and I’m taking part in the Xbox model – however we’re not capable of be a part of the identical sport servers,” he instructed 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 best way 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 gave the impression to be progressing in that course not lengthy after.
Spencer publicly promised to deliver the sport to Xbox on the X019 fanfest occasion in London. “We have now an important relationship with Yoshida-san and we’re working by way of what it means to deliver a cross-platform MMO, that they’ve run for years,” he instructed VGC on the time. “Will probably be one of many video games that’s coming and it’s one thing that I do know our Xbox followers will likely 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 Closing Fantasy XIV got here to PS5. “So I really feel unhealthy for saying the identical factor each time,” he instructed Straightforward Allies. “However we’re nonetheless in discussions with Microsoft and I really feel like our conversations are stepping into a constructive tone.”
The constructive tone of these conversations seemingly wasn’t sufficient to lastly get Sony to comply with crossplay although, till now. The 2 firms additionally not too long ago reached a 10-year settlement for Name of Responsibility 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.
