Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2 Exceeds Expectations

Final Fantasy XIV is one of the biggest MMORPGs on the planet, giving millions of players access to an absurd number of activities that span the main game and its five expansions. And it’s not like those expansions are irrelevant, as players will still need to go through their fifty+ hour stories, not to mention each has their own unique side activities.

With the release of Final Fantasy XIV on the Nintendo Switch 2, this is the first time an MMORPG of this scale has appeared on a handheld device, and it’s impressive that it works as well as it does.

A Rocky Start

We must talk about the initial couple of days of Final Fantasy XIV on the Nintendo Switch 2, only because it did not start particularly well. When it was released, the game worked well, but there was one issue: the load times were horrendous. Getting into an instance or even reviving from a death took a staggering fifteen to twenty seconds. That’s in comparison to the couple of seconds it normally does.

Going into The Ageless Necropolis, for example, there is an instance where each player is sent to an individual instance with a doom timer. When we did this, our doom timer was delayed by seventeen seconds, and getting out took the exact amount of time. This happened all while the rest of the party didn’t know what was happening.

Thankfully, this was remedied very quickly by Square Enix with a patch a few days later, but if it was something that really damped the initial launch of the handheld version. Thankfully, the developers recognized it might have a couple of issues out the gate, which is why they have also included the first month subscription free.

Handheld Functionality

In terms of functionality, Final Fantasy XIV has always worked fantastically on a controller. It is probably the MMORPG with the best-utilized controller support, and this transitions nicely to the Switch 2. The JoyCons 2 works great, although we recommend a Pro controller for those looking to expand to higher-end content such as Savage Raids or Ultimates.

On top of that, JoyCon 2’s mouse functionality works surprisingly well, which seems perfect for a game such as this, being able to mix and match movement on the joystick while camera and actions on the mouse. If that doesn’t suit one’s fancy, players are able to hook up keyboards and mice, making this a perfect option for those who don’t have a laptop or Steam Deck.

While not Square Enix’s fault entirely, we do wish there was a way to save certain phrases. If you’re not using a keyboard for typing, using the Switch 2’s internal keyboard isn’t the best option unless you’re using the touch functionality, and even then, it’s not the best. We wish there was a way to save certain phrases or commands, especially ones that involve cycling the special character menu.

Graphical Performance

In terms of graphical fidelity, well, this isn’t going to win any awards. For the most part, it runs relatively well. It’s not on the same level as other versions, but considering its compromises, it performs way better than expected.

For the most part, it runs at a solid 30 FPS when in handheld mode. There are very few instances where we found it to be lacking or straining, and when docked, it can go even higher. It rarely reached 60 FPS for the majority of content, but it was smoother than we imagined.

There are different ways to mitigate the influx in frame rate, such as locking it to 30 FPS, downgrading the various visual effects from yourself or other party members, and reducing character density. The latter helps immensely in cities such as Limsa Lominsa.

Where Final Fantasy XIV shines the brightest is in handheld mode. Having the game hooked up to a TV or monitor is fine, but it’s what we’ve come to expect for those who own PS5, Xbox Series X or PC versions, and while the Steam Deck does exist, it’s impressive nonetheless that Square Enix was able to do as much as they have with Nintendo’s portable device.

Additional Subscriptions

The one hard sell for existing players is the subscription fee. While we mentioned that Square Enix has essentially waived the subscription service for the first month as they work out the kinks, you will need to pay $13–15 afterward. On the Nintendo Switch 2 version, players will need to purchase coins in order to pay for a subscription, somewhat like how Crysta works, except you can’t make custom payments.

Unfortunately, the biggest issue for existing users comes in the form of an additional subscription. For those who play the game on PC or PlayStation, only one subscription is required. For Xbox and Switch 2 users, they operate on their own payment system. At the very least, Square Enix is discounting the Switch 2 payment by 50% for players with an existing subscription. It’s a small consolation in a rather disappointing situation.

Where Final Fantasy XIV shines the brightest is in handheld mode.

It’s easy to write this off as another Switch 2 port, but what Square Enix has done goes way beyond what we expected of them. It’s a viable option for most players, although we wouldn’t recommend it for the most hardcore out the gate. It’s something that’s easy to pick up and play, especially given you don’t have to relog every time you turn it off, and makes use of the hardware very well. It’s perfect for doing your dailies, getting through the story and some basic raiding and dungeon farming.

Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2 is available right now