Do you need Game Pass to play Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox?

Final Fantasy 14 is coming to Xbox consoles this year, so the question of Game Pass has come up. Fans on the PlayStation 5 don’t have to use PlayStation+ in order to play online, but that isn’t necessarily the case elsewhere. Players want to know if they need to use a secondary subscription to play one of the best MMOs on their Xbox Series X|S later this year when the Dawntrail expansion launches.

This is especially important considering that Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox Open Beta begins later this week. Netizens need to know what they need to have on their console before diving into such a massive MMORPG as this one. Here’s what you need to know about Game Pass for FF14.

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Is Game Pass required to play Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox?

Yes. As Square Enix has confirmed in their post about Xbox Open Beta, Final Fantasy 14's full release on Xbox will require Game Pass. If you plan on playing the full release later this year when the Dawntrail expansion releases, you will need a subscription to Microsoft’s service. This surely has upset many gamers, but ultimately, this is a Microsoft decision.

When it comes to Xbox consoles, you need an Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription for any online multiplayer game - except free-to-play titles. If a game requires a subscription, you need a Game Pass subscription to take advantage of online play on your console. This is important, as Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox is only online.

There are so many dungeons to challenge and friends to make along the way (Image via Square Enix)

This makes sense, as the former subscription service, Xbox Live, was essentially folded into this new subscription. It changes nothing about the system from the Xbox 360 days when you had to have Xbox Live in order to play Final Fantasy 11 on the platform. However, some fans feel slighted, as it’s not a requirement on the PlayStation 5 version of the game.

However, it’s not all negative. If you play in the Open Beta later this week, you won’t have to keep a Game Pass subscription for Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox. Additionally, if you’re playing in the Free Trial, you won’t have to subscribe to either service - Square Enix’s or Microsoft’s.

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2024 promises to be a huge year for Final Fantasy 14, in particular, the Dawntrail expansion. Players will have three new jobs to tackle as they travel to a new land in search of rest and relaxation. The Xbox version of the game should launch around the same time as Dawntrail, which is currently scheduled for Summer 2024.