Final Fantasy XIV arrives on Switch 2

Square Enix said on April 24 that Final Fantasy XIV Online will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in August 2026. (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) The announcement came during Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim, where producer and director Naoki Yoshida and Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu presented the Switch 2 version. (ign.com) Final Fantasy XIV is Square Enix’s subscription-based online role-playing game, and the Switch 2 release will not use the same account billing setup as PlayStation, Xbox, Mac, or Windows. (ign.com) (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) Square Enix said new Switch 2 players must buy the game for that platform and pay a subscription to play. Players who already subscribe on other platforms will still need a separate Switch 2 subscription. (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) The company said that extra Switch 2 subscription will be offered at half price for players who still have remaining game time on other platforms. (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) Square Enix also said there will be an initial one-month early-access period before official service begins, and Nintendo Switch Online will not be required during early access or after launch. (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) That makes the port notable in two ways: it puts Final Fantasy XIV on Nintendo hardware for the first time, and it carves out a separate subscription model after what Yoshida said were months of talks with Nintendo. (ign.com) The Switch 2 news arrived alongside Square Enix’s next expansion announcement. The company said Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold, the game’s 8.0 expansion, is scheduled for January 2027. (gematsu.com) (ign.com) For Nintendo, the August release gives Switch 2 a high-profile online role-playing game with a monthly fee but no Nintendo Switch Online requirement. For Square Enix, it opens another console storefront ahead of Evercold. (na.finalfantasyxiv.com) (ign.com)