How to download and play the Final Fantasy 16 PC demo

A playable demo for Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI’s upcoming PC port is now available for fans who want to taste what’s coming before committing to a pre-purchase. 

The latest iteration of the popular franchise was released on PS5 in 2023 and, as announced by the devs, is set to be launched on PC soon. You can pre-purchase it now to redeem a gift, but for a game that costs $49.99, you’d likely want to try its demo first. While it isn’t a reflection of the final version, the demo build lets you play Final Fantasy XVI’s opening section—and you don’t need to pay a single dime for it. 

If you are among the several wondering how to download and play the demo on PC, don’t worry—we’ve got the answer for you.

How to install and play the Final Fantasy XVI demo

You can download the demo for Final Fantasy XVI PC from Steam.

Go to the demo’s official Steam store page and look for the green Download button. Click on it to add the build to your library and start the installation. It won’t take long to complete, considering it’s just a trial version. 

Upon launching the demo, you’re asked to select some visual settings and choose your gameplay focus: story or action. Keep in mind your comfort while you set these factors. You may need to update your system’s graphics drivers to optimize the demo’s performance and avoid a choppy experience.

Completing the opening section in the demo unlocks the Eikonic Challenge, an action gameplay mode made specially for the trial build of Final Fantasy XVI. While the progress you make in the opening section carries over to the final version of the game, you can’t save the victories you secure in the Eikonic Challenge mode.