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Yes, Final Fantasy XI is not only still around, but doing well these days: the game is currently celebrating its 24th Anniversary. For the occasion, Square Enix teamed up with an animation artist to create this short movie commemorating the game's adventures over the years:



Not only that, but the game will soon feature an expanded free trial. Currently, free trial users are limited to 14 Earth days of gameplay, but soon the limited timeframe will be a thing of the past. Players will be able to play for an unlimited time, up to level 75.

As one might expect, there are some restrictions: free trial players will not have access to any expansions, will not be able to trade items with other users, will not be able to access the Auction House, cannot initiate parties, and will be limited from using certain chat features.

It's unclear if the expanded free trial is active already, or if it will be rolled out in a future version update.

Also: the game's complete digital edition is currently on sale for the low price of $9.99. That sale goes through the early hours of Tuesday, June 9th, 2026.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun, Final Fantasy XI Official Website

Square Enix has announced a "reboot" of the company to take place over the next three years, with goals to focus on "quality over quantity" and multi-platform releases. As a result, the company has cancelled several games in the works, including Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link which was to be a mobile game set between the events of Union X and Dark Road.

With recent PlayStation-exclusive games from Square Enix performing poorly, it's not surprising that the company will be adopting a multi-platform approach. As previously announced, Final Fantasy VII Remake will be coming to Switch 2, and the popular Final Fantasy XIV came to Xbox Series X|S last year. Expect to see more multi-platform releases in the future.

Source: Gameranx

A New World, the chamber ensemble version that offers Final Fantasy fans a chance to enjoy the music in a more intimate setting than the orchestral Distant Worlds, has announced a flurry of concerts this November. Without further ado, here are the dates:

* Saturday, November 1 – Phoenix, AZ – 7:30 PM @ The Madison Center
* Sunday, November 2 – Albuquerque, NM – 7:00 PM @ KiMo Theatre
* Friday, November 14 – Chicago, IL – 8:00 PM @ Studebaker Theater
* Sunday, November 16 – Miramar, FL – 6:00 PM @ Miramar Cultural Center
* Saturday, November 22 – Oklahoma City, OK – 8:00 PM @ Rose State Performing Arts Center

No particular songs have been announced yet, but the email blast did say the concert would feature music by composers Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Yoko Shimomura, and Masayoshi Soken.

Tickets are now on sale for all shows.

Source: A New World

My social media has been bursting with this news: The long-running Magic: The Gathering card game from Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a Final Fantasy expansion on June 13th, 2025. Many cards have already been teased, and the artwork looks fantastic. It'll cost a pretty penny, though: a booster box is going for US$198 on the US Amazon Store currently, and the Collector's box is a whopping $775. Additionally, all of the Commander Deck options are currently sold out at Amazon.

In other news, Square Enix is teaming up with TBS, the Japanese broadcasting company, to create a game based on a new IP. No word on what kind of game it might be, but it is confirmed to be for worldwide audiences.

Source: Magic: The Gathering Website, Nintendo Life

Many Warriors of Light were abuzz at the news that dropped earlier this week: a mobile version of Final Fantasy XIV is currently in production. Built by Lightspeed Studios, this is an officially licensed game from Square Enix.

What we know thus far:

• It's a sister game to the PC & console version, and will feature the story of A Realm Reborn.
• It includes multiplayer battles that have been optimized for mobile controls.
• It is not a gacha game.

This former player of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius (may the global version rest in peace) is not surprised by that last item; I longed for Final Fantasy XIV units in that game but the rumor was that Naoki Yoshida, XIV's producer, did not like gacha games and would not approve much use of his game's materials in the mobile gacha games.

What remains to be seen is just how Final Fantasy XIV Mobile will monetize. The game will be free to play, so many fans are speculating that there will be a glamour cash shop much like its big sister has. According to FandomWire, Yoshida's goal is to create a sustainable, long-running game rather than a quick cash grab.

Fans can sign up for an email list to obtain the latest news about the new game at the official Final Fantasy XIV Mobile website.

Here's the official teaser trailer for your enjoyment:



Source: FandomWire, Official Final Fantasy XIV Mobile Site

The North American Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest began today, and as expected, producer and director Naoki Yoshida's keynote featured the announcement of the next expansion planned for the game:Dawntrail.

The theme of the expansion is "Summer Vacation", as the Warrior of Light and friends travel to what's been known previously as "The New World":Tural, an area located in the Far West. The premise for the Warrior of Light traveling there is an invitation to a contest that will help decide the next ruler of its hub city, Tuliyollal. The Scions will be pitted against each other during the contest--just who will be on the Warrior of Light's side?

Other revelations included:

• Urqopacha, a mountainous region home to "peoples both exceedingly large and unusually small in nature."
• Yak Tel, a forest region accessible by dirigible.
• The Pelupelu, an allied tribe.
• A level cap increase to 100.
• Two new jobs, both DPS: one melee and one magical ranged caster.
• A "whiteboard" feature which will let players plan raid strategies.
• More details on the previously announced graphical update.
• A cross-over event withFall Guys, including new content to the Gold Saucer in Final Fantasy XIV.
• The expansion of the free trial to now include the entirety ofStormblood.

There was one other huge announcement: the game is making its way to the Xbox Series X|S. Open beta will be in spring of 2024, before Dawntrail is released.

Here's the teaser trailer for your enjoyment:
Source:Final Fantasy XIV Official YouTube Channel,USA Today,Game Informer