Final Fantasy 14 Mobile is set to transport players back to the early days of the beloved MMO, though it may not align with the exact beginning some might have hoped for.
Earlier this week, after months of speculation, Square Enix confirmed the long-rumored development of a mobile iteration of Final Fantasy 14, crafted by Lightspeed Studios, the Tencent-owned team behind PUBG Mobile. While the announcement shed light on several aspects, such as the initial set of jobs players can choose from and the rollout plan prioritizing China before a worldwide launch, the community was eager to know where exactly this new mobile journey would kick off. With five expansions under its belt, the MMO certainly has a rich tapestry to explore, but newcomers need a starting point. Fortunately, producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida cleared up the suspense in a Q&A video released just yesterday.
Once the mobile version launches, it’ll begin with A Realm Reborn. “Players who already know Final Fantasy 14 will get to experience the story anew on mobile, while newcomers can dive into an adventure just as expansive,” explained Yoshi-P. He added that there’s “a substantial amount of content and narrative waiting to be unveiled.” The game will see regular updates, with developer Lightspeed Studios planning a gradual release strategy. They may even adjust the update pace based on feedback, speeding or slowing according to what players prefer.
However, it’s worth mentioning that A Realm Reborn isn’t the absolute starting point. The original 1.0 release, although integral to the overarching story, is now unplayable. Some fans have expressed a desire for a World of Warcraft Classic-style return to those early days, and this mobile release seemed an ideal opportunity for such an endeavor. Alas, for now, fans longing for a trip down memory lane with 1.0 will have to stick to digging through old YouTube archives.
For those intrigued by the mobile version, the full Q&A video is definitely a must-watch, as it delves into specifics about monetization. While some details are still under wraps, the mobile game will be free-to-play, which could be promising, but we’ll have to wait and see how it balances cost and content.
