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Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox will require a Game Pass Core subscription to play

It's a strange decision considering a PS Plus subscription isn't required to play on PlayStation.
TJ Denzer
TJ Denzer
Image via Square Enix
4

Final Fantasy 14 is set to come to Xbox soon, and an open beta is kicking things off later this February 2024, but it shared some odd news about online subscription requirements. According to the open beta announcement, while the beta itself won’t require you to have an Xbox Game Pass Core (formerly Xbox Live Gold) subscription to log in and play, the full version of the game will require a Game Pass subscription.

This information was tucked into the open beta details announcement on Final Fantasy 14’s website this week. The clarification about Xbox Game Pass subscriptions is cut and dry at the end of the “How to Participate” section:

Final Fantasy 14's Xbox Series X/S version graphic
Final Fantasy 14 is set to release on Xbox sometime in 2024, but it will require at least an Xbox Game Pass Core subscription to play.
Source: Square Enix

This is a curious stipulation for the Xbox version of Final Fantasy 14. When you go to the account pages on the Final Fantasy 14 support website, it very clearly points out that PlayStation players don’t require a PS Plus subscription to be able to play:

This could be a matter of business and partnerships being different between Square Enix and Xbox compared to PlayStation. However, it’s a strange one considering the arrangement on PlayStation lets you play from any account as long as you have a Square Enix account log in.

Even so, it’s something Xbox players looking to jump into Final Fantasy 14 should be aware of before the game arrives on Microsoft's console in 2024. Stay tuned as we continue to cover Final Fantasy 14 and its upcoming Dawntrail expansion.

Senior News Editor
Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on BlueSky @JohnnyChugs.

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