LOS ANGELES, California – Square Enix recently announced that Xbox players of the popular multiplayer role-playing game, Final Fantasy 14, will need to have an Xbox Game Pass subscription in addition to the game’s own monthly cost. This requirement has left many fans confused and frustrated, as PlayStation and PC players do not need to have any additional subscriptions to play the game.
According to the blog post, the open beta for the Xbox version of Final Fantasy 14 is set to begin on February 21 at 12 midnight Pacific / 3am Eastern / 8am UK. Unlike the PlayStation version, Xbox players will have to pay for two subscriptions to be able to access the full Xbox Series X and S version of the game.
In response to the announcement, many Xbox players expressed their disappointment and disbelief on various online platforms. Some criticized the decision as a “greedy move,” while others questioned the need for a Game Pass subscription when playing an MMO where there may not be enough time to fully benefit from it.
The cost of the subscriptions is also a major point of contention, as a 30-day game subscription costs $14.99, while the cheapest tier of Xbox Game Pass Core costs $9.99 per month. This means that Xbox players could end up paying as much as $24.98 per month to play Final Fantasy 14 if they choose to pay for both on a monthly basis. In contrast, PlayStation and PC players do not have to incur any additional subscription costs to play the game.
The blog post also confirmed that the game will be fully released on Xbox immediately upon the open beta’s conclusion, although no specific date was provided. This news has generated mixed reactions among fans, with some expressing excitement for the upcoming release, while others remain conflicted due to the additional costs associated with playing the game on Xbox.
In summary, the announcement of the additional subscription requirement for Xbox players of Final Fantasy 14 has sparked a wave of confusion and disappointment within the gaming community. As the open beta approaches, players are left to weigh the pros and cons of investing in multiple subscriptions to access the game on their chosen platform.