After years of hearing Yoshi-P express his desire to bring FINAL FANTASY XIV to a Nintendo platform, it’s finally happening. With SQUARE ENIX present at Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim (Northern Orange County, California), it has been revealed that FINAL FANTASY XIV will finally make its Nintendo Switch 2 debut in August later this year, but it will require a subscription separate from those it already has.
Furthermore, SQUARE ENIX took plenty of time to reveal the upcoming Evercold expansion, which releases in January 2027. So, for every video and detail revealed, we have the full announcement here:
SQUARE ENIX ANNOUNCES EVERCOLD— LATEST FINALFANTASYXIVEXPANSION SET FOR JANUARY 2027
LOS ANGELES (April 24, 2026) – SQUARE ENIX® today announced Evercold, the sixth expansion for the critically acclaimed FINALFANTASYXIV Online, set to launch in January 2027.
Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida revealed the new expansion during his keynote address at FINALFANTASYXIVFan Festival 2026 in Anaheim, with the Evercold teaser trailer kicking off the Godless Realms Saga story arc. The teaser offers a glimpse into the adventures that the Warrior of Light will experience on the Fourth.
Yoshida also revealed EVANGELION – Ghosts of Desire coming in Evercold. The exciting new alliance raid series is a crossover with the hugely popular Japanese anime, EVANGELION, and will be created in collaboration with khara, Inc., best known for its work on the EVANGELION series. Since EVANGELION’s first television broadcast in 1995, the anime’s mysterious and profound storyline, alongside its innovative and stylish visual expression, has had a profound influence on numerous creators around the world, with the iconic franchise later expanding its library with multiple animated films and a comic adaptation.
During the keynote, Yoshida also announced an unprecedented battle system overhaul with Reborn and Evolved modes coming to the game with the launch of Evercold. Reborn Mode will be based on the current combat system and job mechanics, while Evolved Mode offers greater emphasis on job identity.
*New jobs introduced in Evercold will only be playable using Evolved* mode.
A comprehensive list of additional announcements from today’s keynote related to the upcoming expansion, Evercold, includes:
Two new jobs: tank and physical ranged DPS
Level cap increase from 100 to 110
New cities
Distinctive new areas
New gigantic constructs and other monstrous threats to overcome
New allies to encounter
New dungeons
New trials
A new raid series
A new Ultimate raid
PvP updates
Ongoing content updates, including new gear and crafting recipes, updates to the Duty Support System and more
The launch of Evercold and its subsequent patch series will also allow all FINALFANTASYXIVplayers to enjoy various expanded updates to the game’s design, in addition to the battle system changes, such as:
Seasons: An overhaul to the way players earn rewards and improve their characters
Armoury Update: To better facilitate playing with multiple jobs
Expanded Character Customization: More ways to make your character stand out from the crowd
Further information regarding the FINALFANTASYXIV Patch 7.5x series was also outlined during the keynote, with details on the Dancing Mad (Ultimate) raid. The patch schedule leading to the release of 8.0 was also detailed, providing players with additional content to look forward to, including:
Patch 7.5 (releasing April 28) – New main scenario quests, new Trial, and Echoes of Vana’diel Part 3
Patch 7.51 (releasing June 2) – New Cosmic Exploration Star “Auxesia,” new Custom Deliveries: Tiisol Ja, and Dancing Mad (Ultimate)
Patch 7.55 (releasing July 28) – New updates to Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures quests, the debut of Occult Crescent: North Horn, and new Phantom Weapon quests
Patch 7.56 (releasing Sept. 8) – New main scenario quests and introduction of beastmaster
On April 28, the Free Trial for the critically acclaimed FINALFANTASYXIV Online saga will also be expanded to include the highly praised third expansion, Shadowbringers. With all content up to Patch 5.58 soon to be included with not only A Realm Reborn and the Heavensward and Stormblood expansions, there has never been a better time for newcomers to join over 30 million other registered accounts on their adventures. Free Trial players can enjoy hundreds of hours of award-winning gameplay and story experiences equivalent to four full FINALFANTASY titles, without limit on playtime. Learn more about the Free Trial: https://sqex.to/FFXIVFreeTrial
Finally, SQUARE ENIX President and CEO, Takashi Kiryu, took to the stage to close the keynote and announce the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version of FINALFANTASYXIV. This version will be arriving in August 2026. We plan to have an early access period, to test server stability, then launch into official service. Adventurers from more platforms than ever before can join together to enjoy this vast world. More details can be found here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/a6ea855ea930740e9f2f42380256b1f522b619b9
For more information on the Nintendo Switch 2 version, the following details have been provided:
FINAL FANTASY XIV will make its debut on the Nintendo Switch™ 2 in August 2026!
Those playing FINAL FANTASY XIV for the first time on Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase FINAL FANTASY XIV for Nintendo Switch 2 and a subscription to play the game.
Current FINAL FANTASY XIV players who wish to play on Nintendo Switch 2 If you already play FINAL FANTASY XIV on another platform, you will still need to purchase FINAL FANTASY XIV for Nintendo Switch 2 and a separate subscription for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game. However, if you have remaining game time on other platforms, the Nintendo Switch 2 subscription will be available at half price.
There will be an initial one-month period of early access to ensure server stability, after which official service will start. A subscription to Nintendo Switch Online will not be required to play FINAL FANTASY XIV on Nintendo Switch 2 in either the early access period or during official service.
In 2015, when rumours of the NX and Zelda U were everywhere, my brother and I started Miketendo64 and we've been running it ever since. As the Editor-in-Chief, I have attended video gaming events in three different countries, been to preview events, and penned more than 4,000 articles to date, ranging from news, to features, reviews, interviews and guides. I love gaming and I love all things Nintendo. I also love Networking, so don't be afaid to reach out.
Email: contact@miketendo64.com / jack.lo@miketendo64.com
Website: https://miketendo64.com/
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyVMO4QgcniAjhLxoyc9n8Q
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