Wondering if you can play Final Fantasy XIV for free on Steam? I‘ve got you covered. In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain how FFXIV‘s generous – but limited – free trial works, what content and features it unlocks, and when you‘ll need to break out your wallet to continue adventuring in Eorzea.
Whether you‘re a free trial newbie or a returning player, you‘ll learn everything you need to know about playing FFXIV on Steam for zero cost…and what to expect when the free ride ends. Let‘s dive in!
Living That Free Trial Life
First, the good news: FFXIV offers an unlimited free trial that lets you play a ton of content for zero dollars and zero cents. We‘re talking:
- The entire A Realm Reborn main storyline
- The huge Heavensward expansion up to level 60
- Hundreds of hours of dungeons, trials, guildhests, and raids
- All classes and jobs fully playable up to level 60
- The vast, explorable lands of Eorzea and beyond
Not too shabby for free! The development team at Square Enix crafted the FFXIV free trial to give new players a real taste of the full experience. And with no time limit, you can enjoy the free trial at your own pace.
But all good things must come to an end. The free trial does have restrictions that kick in eventually:
- You can only have one character per server world
- A 300,000 gil (in-game currency) cap is imposed
- No trading, mail system, or market board allowed
- Can‘t join Free Companies (player guilds)
- No Retainer (bank) storage available
- PvP content remains locked away
So why impose restrictions at all? The idea is to entice you to continue your adventure by purchasing the full game. Let‘s talk about what happens when the free ride concludes.
Buying In: FFXIV‘s Monetization Model
FFXIV transitions to a more traditional MMO monetization model after the free trial. Here‘s how it works:
- Buy the Starter Edition ($19.99) to unlock everything permanently
- Maintain an ongoing monthly subscription for continued access
- Purchase each expansion pack to experience new content
The Starter Edition removes all free trial restrictions, lets you have multiple characters, and includes 30 days of subscription time. It‘s essentially "FFXIV lite" – you‘ll now own the base game forever.
But to continue playing after those 30 days, you‘ll need to subscribe. FFXIV offers a few subscription tiers:
- Entry (30 days): $12.99/month
- Standard (30 days): $14.99/month
- Standard (90 days): $13.99/month
Subscribing gives you completely unrestricted access to everything in A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. However, you‘ll need to purchase each expansion pack beyond Heavensward separately:
- Stormblood: $19.99
- Shadowbringers: $39.99
- Endwalker: $39.99
This lets you choose when you want to invest in new content drops. You can stick with just A Realm Reborn and Heavensward for a long time thanks to the sheer amount of content available.
In terms of pricing, FFXIV offers a fair monetization model. Let‘s compare it to some other popular MMOs:
- World of Warcraft: $14.99/month subscription only
- Elder Scrolls Online: $14.99/month subscription or $39.99 per expansion
- Guild Wars 2: Free core game but $29.99 per expansion
So FFXIV sits right in the sweet spot – you get a ton of free trial content, then pay a standard subscription fee for unlimited access. Overall, it hits a nice balance between player value and generating revenue to fund new content.
Stepping into Eorzea with the Steam Free Trial
If you‘re ready to dive into the FFXIV free trial on Steam, follow these quick steps:
- Create a Square Enix account at the FFXIV site
- Install FFXIV from Steam and link your Square Enix account
- Launch the game and select the "Free Trial" option
- Customize your character and starting class/job
- Experience the magical lands of Eorzea as the Warrior of Light!
The Steam version gives you the full FFXIV client right from the start. You just select "Free Trial" at the login screen rather than entering subscription credentials.
One tip though: eventually you‘ll need to link your Steam and Square Enix accounts. This allows you to transition seamlessly to the full game. You can link accounts anytime through the Mog Station site.
Continuing Your Journey as the Warrior of Light
The FFXIV free trial gives you a glorious gateway into one of gaming‘s most magical worlds. For Final Fantasy fans, MMO lovers, and newcomers alike, it‘s an unbeatable deal.
While not 100% free forever, FFXIV offers a respectful monetization model with clear value. If you really invest yourself in Eorzea, stepping up to buy the Starter Edition and maintain a subscription feels fair.
So don‘t hesitate to dive into the FFXIV free trial on Steam today. I‘ll see you in Eorzea, adventurer!
