How to join the Final Fantasy 14 Xbox beta

Over a decade since it arrived on PlayStation and PC, Final Fantasy 14 will finally debut on the Xbox platform with a free beta.

If all goes well, a full Xbox release should launch in 2024, though the exact date hasn’t been shared yet. No doubt in case the Xbox version of Final Fantasy 14 requires more work following the beta period.

The beta is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at about 2am CT, so we’ve put together a guide on how any eager newcomers can participate.

What to do before downloading the Final Fantasy 14 Xbox beta

Since Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO, you’ll want to check your Xbox privacy settings to ensure you can actually access the beta. If you already regularly play online games on Xbox, you can probably afford to skip this part. If not, go through the following options: Settings > Account > Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customize >Communication & multiplayer. Then, make sure the appropriate settings are as follows:

• You can join multiplayer games—Allow
• You can join cross-network play—Allow
• Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites—Everybody
• You can communicate outside of Xbox with voice & text—Everybody

It’s also worth checking the “View details & customize menu” and setting “You can see and upload community creations” to “Everybody” as well.

How to download the Final Fantasy 14 Xbox beta

This is the easy part. Just search for Final Fantasy 14 on the Microsoft Store and look for the game’s product page. From there, you’ll want to select the “…” option, and it will bring up another option to download the beta. It will be labeled as the Final Fantasy 14 Free Trial. Once installed, you can launch it once it becomes available and the on-screen instructions will guide you through the rest.

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

No, the beta/free trial doesn’t require an Xbox Game Pass subscription. But you will need one once the full game launches. It doesn’t matter which tier you subscribe to (Core or Ultimate), but this is also on top of Final Fantasy 14‘s subscription fee, which at its cheapest is $10.99 per month.

Can existing players access the Final Fantasy 14 Xbox beta?

No, Square Enix only wants new players to check out the beta. So, if you already have a Final Fantasy 14 subscription or access to the free trial on another platform, you’re not allowed to participate.