Square Enix released Final Fantasy 14 on Nintendo Switch 2 on Tuesday, Aug. 4, opening what the publisher is calling a one-month early access period on the platform, Polygon reports. During that month the subscription requirement is not enforced, so new and returning players can access the MMORPG on Switch 2 without paying for one.
The concession ends with the early access window. Once it closes, the Switch 2 version requires its own subscription, separate from the single subscription that has historically covered every other platform the game runs on. Players who already hold an active subscription elsewhere are offered the Switch 2 subscription at half price rather than being covered by the one they have.
Polygon notes two costs that do not apply. A Nintendo Switch Online membership is not needed to play, despite the game being online-only, and the complete edition — which bundles every expansion released so far — is discounted by 30 percent for a limited period. The free trial remains available, but the outlet cautions that buying the game in any form ends access to it unless a separate account is created.
Performance and early problems
Early reaction has focused on how well the port runs. Polygon reports players heading straight for the Aetheryte Plaza in Limsa Lominsa — one of the most consistently crowded areas in the game — to stress-test the hardware, and that the Switch 2 held up there in handheld mode. Performance had been the most commonly voiced concern before release, and the outlet describes the reaction as largely surprise at how well it holds.
The launch has not been clean. Some players report download times running past a dozen hours against a 117 GB install, though Polygon notes that individual network conditions may account for that rather than anything platform-side. The more consistent complaint is account setup: threads on the Final Fantasy 14 subreddit ask for help linking existing accounts on the new platform, and Square Enix has published a setup guide on the game’s blog.
The Switch 2 release lands ahead of the Evercold expansion, which Polygon says is due in January.
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