Is ff14 free to play?

Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) is one of the most popular MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) available today. Unlike some other popular MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, FFXIV is not free to play. There is a free trial available, but access to the full game requires a monthly subscription fee. In this guide, we‘ll break down exactly what parts of FFXIV are free, how much it costs to play the full game, and whether it‘s worth paying the monthly fee.

How FFXIV is monetized

FFXIV utilizes a subscription-based business model. This means that in order to access the full game and all content updates, players must pay a monthly fee.

There are a few different subscription tiers available:

• Entry Subscription (30 days): $12.99/£7.69/€10.99
• Standard Subscription (30 days): $14.99/£8.99/€12.99
• Standard Subscription (90 days): $13.99/£8.39/€11.99

So at a minimum, players have to pay $12.99 per month to play FFXIV. This subscription gives you access to all current content as well as regular content updates and expansions.

Additionally, FFXIV has an in-game cash shop called the Mog Station. Players can purchase optional cosmetic items, mounts, emotes, and account services with real money through Mog Station. However, nothing on Mog Station gives players an advantage in combat or progression.

What is free in FFXIV?

FFXIV offers a very generous free trial for new players to try the game out. Here‘s what is included in the FFXIV free trial:

• Access to the entire base game (A Realm Reborn) and the Heavensward expansion
• Ability to play all classes and jobs up to level 60
• Hundreds of hours of story content, dungeons, trials, and raids
• No restrictions on playtime

The FFXIV free trial grants unlimited access to a huge chunk of content. Players could easily spend hundreds of hours exploring the world of Eorzea and experiencing the critically acclaimed story before needing to subscribe.

However, there are some restrictions on the free trial, including:

• Cannot join a Free Company (FFXIV‘s version of player guilds)
• Limited social features (no creating parties, can‘t use in-game chat channels, etc.)
• Cannot access the in-game Market Board for trading with other players
• Maximum gil (in-game currency) of 300,000

So in summary, a good portion of FFXIV is free to try, but accessing the full game requires a paid subscription.

What content requires a subscription?

Here is an overview of what content and features require an active subscription:

• Access to expansions after Heavensward (Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker)
• Ability to level classes and jobs beyond 60
• Access to new story content, dungeons, trials, and raids released in expansions
• Participate in high-end PvE content like extreme/savage raids
• Unlimited gil and full access to Market Board for trading
• Create and join a Free Company player guild
• Access ranked PvP modes like The Feast
• Own an estate (FFXIV‘s version of player housing)
• Take advantage of retention campaigns that give free playtime or items
• Participate fully in social features of the game

Basically all "end game" content and social features require an active subscription. Players who want to experience everything FFXIV has to offer will need to pay the monthly fee.

However, even at end game there are some activities that are still available to free trial players, such as:

• Casual PvP like Frontlines
• Gold Saucer minigames
• Roleplaying
• Socializing with friends

So free trial players aren‘t completely locked out of end game, but their options are limited compared to subscribed players.

Is the FFXIV free trial worth it?

The FFXIV free trial is extremely generous and absolutely worth trying out. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Hundreds of hours of content: Between the base game and Heavensward expansion, you‘ll have hundreds of quests, dungeons, and things to do before hitting the level 60 cap.

• Engaging storyline: FFXIV is renowned for its storyline and cutscenes. The plot throughout A Realm Reborn and Heavensward is fantastic.

• All classes and jobs to 60: There‘s plenty of time to experiment with FFXIV‘s classes and jobs to find one you really enjoy playing.

• No time limit: You can play the free trial for as long as you want, with no restrictions.

• Social features: You can join guilds, make friends and be social without paying. The only restrictions are on creating groups for instances.

The FFXIV free trial really does offer an incredible amount of great content. It‘s more than enough to decide if you enjoy the core experience before committing to pay the subscription fee.

There are some annoyances like being unable to use the player economy. But overall, the FFXIV free trial succeeds at letting you experience the meat of the game for free.

What do you get from the paid subscription?

Subscribing to FFXIV gives you full access to everything the game has to offer. Here are some of the major benefits you gain:

• All expansions: New story, zones, dungeons, raids, and features are added in expansions. You need the sub to access anything beyond Heavensward.

• Complete end-game experience: From raids to ranked PVP and everything in between – subscribers can participate in all end-game content.

• No level cap: Progress beyond level 60 and currently all the way to level 90 with the subscription.

• Full social features: Access all social systems like free companies, linkshells, and player housing.

• Player economy access: Buy and sell items freely on the market board with other players.

• Rewards and bonuses: Get access to subscriber-only rewards, deals, and bonuses.

• Support ongoing development: Sub fees fund the ongoing development of new FFXIV content and updates.

Overall, the subscription allows you to experience the complete FFXIV ecosystem. It‘s required for players who want to stick with the game long-term and access everything new that gets added.

Is it worth subscribing to FFXIV?

Whether or not an FFXIV subscription is "worth it" ultimately comes down to your personal gaming preferences and budget. Here are some things to consider:

You should subscribe if:

• You play frequently and want access to all content.
• You enjoy challenging end-game content like high-end raids.
• You care about cosmetics, glamour, mounts, and player housing.
• You want to fully engage with the community and social features.
• You appreciate consistent and frequent content updates.

You may not need the subscription if:

• You‘re a very casual solo player.
• You mainly enjoy the story and leveling process.
• You don‘t care as much about end game content or cosmetics.
• You don‘t play more than a few hours per week.
• You dislike subscription-based business models.

For most fans of MMORPGs, the FFXIV subscription is worth it. The constant updates and lively end-game community make the monthly fee feel justified.

But for gamers that play solo or very casually, it may not be worth paying for a sub. The free trial provides a great standalone RPG experience already.

Overall the value comes down to your personal playstyle and interest in MMORPG end-game progression systems.

FFXIV Free Trial vs. Subscription Comparison

Here is a quick comparison table summarizing the key differences between the FFXIV Free Trial and full subscription:

Is FFXIV required to buy expansions?

FFXIV‘s business model is set up so that you only need to purchase the base game once. After that, you just need an active subscription to get access to all expansions.

So for example, as long as you‘re subscribed, you‘ll automatically get access to the Endwalker expansion when it releases. There‘s no need to purchase expansions separately.

The only thing you may want to purchase separately is if you want to play as one of the new races added in an expansion. You‘d need to buy that specific "Collector‘s Edition" to unlock the race. But you wouldn‘t need to buy the actual expansion.

So in summary – all you need is the base game + subscription.

Can you play FFXIV on a free trial forever?

There is no time limit on the FFXIV free trial – you can technically play it forever if you want to. However, there are significant restrictions that make playing long-term on a free trial very limited:

• You can only level up to 60.
• You can‘t access any expansions beyond Heavensward.
• You can‘t participate in end-game content and raids.
• You can‘t use the player economy or trade.
• You can‘t join Free Companies (guilds).

With those restrictions in mind, you could continue playing the free trial for as long as you want. But you would be stuck at level 60 and run out of meaningful content fairly quickly.

The free trial is intended to let you sample the game – not provide unlimited ongoing access. If you want to experience everything FFXIV has to offer, you‘ll need to eventually subscribe.

But certainly feel free to maximize your time on the free trial before paying! Just don‘t expect to be able to play the latest expansions or endgame content for free forever.

Can you unlock everything as a free trial player?

No, not everything in FFXIV is unlockable on the free trial. Here are some of the major things that free trial players won‘t have access to:

• Leveling beyond 60
• Any expansions beyond Heavensward
• Endgame raids, dungeons, and trials
• Ranked PVP
• Dark Knight, Astrologian, Machinist jobs
• Player housing
• Retainer ventures and additional retainers
• Joining a Free Company guild

Essentially all "core" parts of the free trial experience like classes, story quests, dungeons, and social features will be available. But all "advanced" progression systems are off limits.

Players hoping to unlock literally all content will have to subscribe at some point. The free trial is designed to let you sample the core game, not serve as a indefinite demo.

But again – the content available in the free trial is still vast and will take most players hundreds of hours to exhaust.

Can you play FFXIV offline?

No, Final Fantasy XIV is an online-only MMORPG. There is currently no offline or single player mode available. You need an internet connection to play.

This applies to both free trial players and subscribed players. The game servers handle things like:

• Connecting you to other players
• Managing quests and NPC interactions
• Saving character data and inventory
• Facilitating market board/auction house trades
• Instance matching for dungeons and raids

Without that online connection, critical systems like those wouldn‘t work properly. So unfortunately FFXIV is strictly an online game and can‘t be played offline.

Can you play FFXIV solo?

Yes! FFXIV is perfectly enjoyable as solo experience if that‘s your preference. Here‘s what you can do solo in FFXIV:

• Play through the entire main scenario questline and story
• Level up your character and unlock new jobs/classes
• Queue for dungeons, trials, and raids via the duty finder
• Participate in casual PVP like Frontlines
• Complete side quests like job quests and role quests
• Engage in solo content like sightseeing log, treasure maps, and deep dungeons
• Craft, gather, and build up your player housing
• Earn MGP and play mini-games in the Gold Saucer
• Gain levels and rewards from FATEs in the overworld
• Queue for player-vs-environment command missions with NPCs

So there are lots of quests, activities, and systems you can experience solo if you wish. The story and character progression are absolutely fine solo.

However, FFXIV is an MMORPG first and foremost designed around socializing. End-game progression will require pre-made groups. But solo play is welcomed and accessible for more casual players.

Final Thoughts

FFXIV utilizes a subscription-based model – it is not free to play indefinitely. However, the generous free trial grants ample time to experience a huge amount of fantastic content without paying.

While subscriptions unlock the full breadth of FFXIV gameplay and content, the free trial alone still provides hundreds of hours of enjoyment. It‘s more than enough to determine if Eorzea is a world you want to become deeply invested in.

For MMORPG fans seeking deep social systems and endless progression, a paid FFXIV subscription is easily justified. But more casual fans just interested in the story may not necessarily need to pay the monthly sub fee.

No matter your preferred playstyle, the FFXIV free trial is absolutely worth checking out. And if you end up falling in love with FFXIV, the subscription unlocks an incredible amount of regular content updates and endgame activities to enjoy.