Square Enix has made it clear that FFXIV Mobile does not have a free trial. As an MMO's mobile version, it is already free-to-play. This additional information comes from a Famitsu interview that shed light on some of Square Enix's plans for the game after the rather ambiguous initial announcement.

Experience FFXIV Mobile's Free-to-Play Magic

Gameplay and Monetization

Producer Naoki Yoshida stated that FFXIV Mobile is free-to-play and does not have gacha elements. This means players won't be spending money in hopes of obtaining essential equipment. Yoshida emphasized that their goal is not to make as much money as possible through such schemes. Instead, they designed the mobile game with the question of how long a mobile user could play in mind. The aim is to allow as many people to play the game as much as possible while generating only a small amount of cash through monetization. While it's not specified where this cash will come from, Square Enix could potentially monetize through the glamour system or rely more on Mog Station purchases like mounts and other accessories.

The game will use virtual controllers and is optimized for smartphone control. However, we haven't seen footage of the MMO's battles in mobile form yet to understand how hotbars and skills will work. Regarding skills, players can expect at least the original nine jobs that launched with A Realm Reborn in FFXIV Mobile, including Black Mage, Arcanist, and White Mage. The logo art shows these jobs, but there is no sign of Rogue or Ninja, which only joined the game in patch 2.4.

Story and Future Plans

Yoshida suggested that FFXIV Mobile's story may reach up to patch 2.55, which is the lead-in to Heavensward. However, it's not clear whether the team plans to add Heavensward and later expansions. This leaves players curious about the future development of the mobile version.

FFXIV Mobile's first playtests are set to open soon in China, and Square Enix expects a global launch shortly after these tests conclude. This gives players in different regions something to look forward to and shows Square Enix's commitment to bringing the game to a wider audience.