Image: Square Enix
The acclaimed Final Fantasy 14 MMORPG is starting from scratch on mobile.
Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy 14 Mobile for iOS and Android mobile devices, developed in collaboration with Tencent Games’ LightSpeed Studios. The mobile game will serve as “a sister to Final Fantasy 14” according to producer and game director Naoki Yoshida, recreating the original game’s story and gameplay for new and returning players.
The game will soon arrive in China via a series of multiple playtests, followed by a global launch “soon after.”
Here’s the reveal trailer:
Final Fantasy 14 Mobile revealed, playtests start soon
Final Fantasy 14 is officially coming to mobile devices, but not as a simple platform port. LightSpeed Studios and Square Enix are recreating the game for the mobile format, allowing players to embark on a fresh adventure in Eorzea on their mobile devices without having to play catch-up on 11 years of content. Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida (who also produced Final Fantasy 16) will supervise the project.
Here’s how the official Final Fantasy 14 Mobile website describes the game:
In Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, you are beckoned by the Mothercrystal, carrying the light of hope to the world of Hydaelyn. Heed the Mothercrystal’s call, embrace your destiny as an adventurer, and confront the primals to deliver Eorzea from certain destruction. An epic story and endless challenges await, with every heart-wrenching moment creating unforgettable memories within this vast realm. Test your skills in battle with controls optimized for mobile devices, enabling you to experience dynamic and intense combat from the palm of your hand. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and audio as skills and boss effects dazzle, culminating in a glorious finale with a limit break!
Much like the original game, players will be able to choose from a variety of playable races – though it’s safe to say that we won’t be able to access all of the game’s currently available races and content, seeing as this mobile version is starting from scratch. Nine jobs will be available at launch (in contrast to the roughly 21 jobs now available in the main game), and an Armoury system will allow players to switch between them freely.
The game will also give players a few ways to spend some time resting in between hard battles, such as by customising their homes, taking part in festive seasonal events, and taking part in various social interactions with other players. Just like the main game, players can squad up to take on dungeons or engage in casual activities in online multiplayer.
Final Fantasy 14 Mobile is set to feature optimised visuals for smaller screens compared to the main game, while retaining its core aesthetic and visual design. The mobile version will feature a dynamic weather system with over 600 weather patterns, with visuals that maintain the same level of detail as the original game. At this juncture, it's difficult to say how the game plans to tackle things like Final Fantasy 14's complicated hotbars, but we'll have to wait for future gameplay trailers to better understand how its UI/UX translates to mobile.
Final Fantasy 14 Mobile will hold multiple playtests in China before launching globally.
