The Final Fantasy series, developed and published by Square Enix, is one of the most iconic franchises in video game history. Its games are set in an ever-expanding universe and are mainly fantasy RPGs, although certain Final Fantasy titles have delved into action, tactics, and online multiplayer formats. Despite utilizing a wide variety of settings and playstyles, most Final Fantasy games feature characters named Cid and Biggs & Wedge, and narratives centered around crystals or elemental forces.

Originally released in 2010, Final Fantasy XIV is an MMORPG that offers an interesting narrative, character customization, and online features. Players begin as adventurers in Eorzea, joining the Scions of the Seventh Dawn in order to combat the invading Garlean Empire and primal beings summoned by beast tribes. The game has achieved remarkable success since its re-release in 2013, with more than 30 million registered users worldwide as of January 2024.

A mobile version of Final Fantasy XIV was announced in November 2024, to be developed by LightSpeed Studios. Final Fantasy XIV producer, Naoki Yoshida, introduced the game in a 13-minute YouTube video, assuring potential players that the port will be optimized for casual play better suiting mobile platforms.

While we had a strong desire to develop a mobile version, we almost gave up due to the perceived difficulty. We provided challenging feedback to the Final Fantasy 14 Mobile dev team. The developers always responded sincerely. This dedication became the deciding factor in moving forward with the mobile version. Although the journey was quite difficult, they succeeded in creating an outstanding mobile version.

Brief clips of Final Fantasy XIV’s gameplay were recently uploaded by a verified account to a Chinese video sharing site called Bilibili. The footage has since been shared via X (formerly Twitter), already prompting some concerns over the combat system’s complexity.

The post includes three minutes of gameplay related to the various starting classes, or jobs, available to choose from. These classes include Warrior, Paladin, Bard, Black Mage, Summoner, Monk, Dragoon, Scholar, and White Mage. The video demonstrates basic actions in combat against lower-level mobs as each of the classes, showcasing their specific features.

The FFXIV Mobile battle system introduction video has been revealed, and there are a lot of buttons 😆

The battle system seems interesting, but I’m curious how they would add to it when you get to the higher levels 🤔 #FFXIV pic.twitter.com/dxJr8bClSI

— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) December 9, 2024

Despite this recent gameplay reveal, Final Fantasy XIV Mobile’s expected release date remains entirely unknown. It is set to launch first in China, however, with a global release to follow. It will be available for free on iOS and Android devices with optional in-app purchases.