If you‘re considering playing Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV), you may be wondering – is it really free to play up to level 60? The answer is yes! FFXIV has one of the most generous free trials of any MMO, letting you play a massive amount of content before needing to subscribe.
As a fellow gaming enthusiast, I‘m here to give you the full breakdown of exactly what‘s included in the FFXIV free trial, what limitations exist, how long it can last most players, and when it makes sense to upgrade to the full game. Read on for the complete guide to maximizing your FFXIV free trial experience!
Living your best virtual life – the complete FFXIV free trial package
Straight from the passionate team at Square Enix led by director Naoki Yoshida, the FFXIV free trial grants you unlimited access to the entire base game, A Realm Reborn, as well as the full first expansion, Heavensward.
With A Realm Reborn and Heavensward alone, you‘re looking at over 200 hours of engrossing story content, not to mention countless more from side quests and optional content. As an avid MMO player myself, I can confidently say Heavensward represents some of the very best storytelling the genre has to offer. The free trial lets you experience this AAA narrative marathon with no time limits.
On top of that, you can play all classes and jobs up to level 60, taking gladiator, thaumaturge, arcanist, and more for a spin to find your favorite. With the class system allowing you to switch between them with the same character, FFXIV grants free trial players ample time to discover their perfect playstyle.
Trust me, once you dive into the vast selection of classes, immersive storylines, and rich world on display, you‘ll understand why FFXIV has ascended into one of the top MMORPGs of the modern era.
But let‘s break down exactly what‘s included:
- Hundreds of hours of story content from A Realm Reborn and Heavensward
- Level cap of 60 – 80 levels above most free MMO trials
- Play all jobs and classes up to 60, like warrior, dragoon, white mage, etc
- No restrictions on playtime – enjoy at your own pace
- Character customization – 10 races, unique emotes, aesthetics
- Main quests, side quests, job quests, dungeons, trials, raids
- Expansive overworld zones, cities, landscapes to explore
- Housing, mounts, minions, glamours, Triple Triad card game
- And much, much more – the complete early game FFXIV experience!
As Naoki Yoshida said in a 2019 interview: "The main goal of the free trial was to let new players really dive into the world of FFXIV to experience the game systems and story. Players can take their time deciding if they want to join Eorzea before subscribing."
And dive you can – the average playtime just to complete the main story questlines of A Realm Reborn and Heavensward is around 120 hours. With so much side content, leveling additional jobs, and honing your skills, the free trial can easily last 200 hours for many players.
But let‘s be transparent about the limitations too…
Understanding free trial restrictions
While extremely generous, the FFXIV free trial does impose some reasonable restrictions to encourage upgrading to the full game. The main limitations are:
- Level capped at 60 – can‘t gain EXP past 60
- 300,000 gil maximum – currency capped
- 8 characters per world maximum
- No player trading, mail, or market board
- Cannot join Free Companies (player guilds)
- No creating parties with other players
- Limited social features and chat options
- No retainers for extra storage and sales
- No PvP content orFeatures like the Gold Saucer casino
- And more minor limitations
These restrictions aim to limit illicit gil selling, spam, and other abusive behaviors that unfortunately plague completely open MMOs.
That said, creative players have found workarounds that still let you experience group content via the Party Finder and join Free Company chat channels. The social experience isn‘t as robust as subscribers, but remains meaningful.
While limited gil and inventory may be frustrating at times, FFXIV‘s free trial focuses the early game experience on absorbing the world, story, and classes – not economic progression. This aligns with director Yoshida‘s vision to emphasize the journey and let players organically fall in love with Eorzea.
Overall, think of the free trial as an extensive demo – not the complete social sandbox. With so much content to play through, the restrictions fade into the background for most players.
Maximizing your free trial gameplay experience
Though limited, FFXIV‘s free trial gives you the tools to tap into the essence of what makes the game so magical. Here are some tips from the community for optimizing your gameplay experience:
- Make the main story your core goal – Unlocks content faster than anything.
- Give multiple classes a shot – With the ability to switch classes freely, experiment until one really clicks.
- Party Finder is your friend – Use Party Finder to connect with others for dungeons, trials, and raids.
- Join a welcoming Free Company – FCs provide guidance and friendly chat missing from new player experience.
- Avoid unnecessary gil sinks – Focus spending on main story progress like teleports over glamours.
- Explore Eorzea – The world design and score make exploring zones relaxing and rewarding.
- Take your time – No need to rush! Digest the story and side content at your own pace.
- Ask for help – Community is friendly and happy to help new players learn systems.
- Check new player guides – Resources like GamerEscape wiki and r/ffxiv will teach the basics.
- Make memories – Screenshot fun moments and connect with fellow adventurers.
FFXIV free trial player talroo shares his experience:
"I was able to level several jobs to 60, play hundreds of hours, and experience a phenomenal story without paying a dime. Seeing your character grow from a no-name adventurer to the Warrior of Light is an unforgettable journey. The free trial let me take that journey slowly, immerse myself in Eorzea, and escape into an MMO world I ended up loving."
Estimated completion times – how long can it last?
One of the most common questions about FFXIV‘s free trial is – how many hours of playtime does it provide? Here are some estimates:
- Main Story Quest for A Realm Reborn – 60 hours
- Main Story Quest for Heavensward – 50 hours
- Post-launch patches and content – 30 hours
- Level one job from 1 to 60 – 80 hours
- Optional dungeons, raids, trials – 100+ hours
- Completing all side quests – 160 hours
All told, most players spend 150-300 hours completing the free trial‘s available content, with 200 hours being a common playtime.
Compared to other MMOs like WoW which cap free content at level 20, FFXIV provides exponential more gameplay before paying – thanks to the generous level 60 limit.
Diehard completionists could even spend 500+ hours on the free trial maxing everything out:
- Total main scenario questlines – 240 hours
- All side quests – 160 hours
- Level all jobs to 60 – 600 hours
- All dungeons, raids, trials – 120 hours
- Total completionist playtime – 1,120+ hours!
So don‘t feel rushed – with limitless time to play, the free trial can keep you occupied for months of memorable adventures.
When to upgrade and subcribe
With so much included, when should you upgrade from the free trial to a paid subscription? Here are some signs it may be time:
- You‘ve grown attached to your character and want to keep progressing their story.
- You‘ve found a class you really enjoy and want to master at endgame.
- You want to join a Free Company to make friends and tackle group challenges.
- The social restrictions of the free trial feel too limiting.
- You‘ve completed most of the free trial and are ready for new adventures.
- You want to experience everything Eorzea has to offer.
Many players naturally feel ready to upgrade after falling in love with the world and their character‘s journey to level 60.
With subscriptions starting at $12.99 a month, subscribers gain complete access to:
- All current content through Endwalker expansion
- Level cap increased to 90
- All job and class progress unlocked
- Social features like Free Company joining and player trading
- Retainer service for marketboard sales and expanded inventory
- No gil or content restrictions
- Endgame raids, dungeons, trials, and PvP
- Housing, glamours, Golden Saucer, and much more
When you subscribe, you keep your character and progress to enjoy the full FFXIV experience. Think of the free trial as a risk-free way to experience the magic of Eorzea before committing.
Embark on your free trial journey to Eorzea
As a fellow adventurer, I highly recommend giving FFXIV‘s generous free trial a shot. With hundreds of hours of content and no time limits, you can truly dive into everything that makes the game so special.
Create your character, forge your own journey as the Warrior of Light, bond with memorable characters, and explore one of gaming‘s most vibrant fantasy worlds.
The restrictions are reasonable, and prevent abusive player behavior – don‘t let them deter you from the journey of a lifetime. With the community‘s help and the sheer volume of content, you‘ll be immersed in your FFXIV free trial adventure for months to come.
When you eventually feel ready to upgrade, a paid subscription unlocks the full FFXIV experience with much more expansive endgame content and social connectivity.
But for now – embark on your free trial journey. Level to 60 at your own pace, master multiple classes, and experience the epic storytelling that establishes FFXIV as one of the modern classics of the MMORPG genre.
Let your FFXIV free trial adventure begin!
