2021 is going to be another big year for Final Fantasy 14 players. The next major expansion, titled Endwalker, will be releasing this fall and will not just include new jobs, side quests, and Final Fantasy 4 related content, but also conclude the story arc, which has been running since the game first launched as A Realm Reborn. Not only that, but the MMO will be making its next-gen debut with a PlayStation 5 port roughly around the same time.
An exact release date hasn't been given yet, but no doubt Square Enix's aim is to have it coincide with the release of Endwalker. With said release obviously still months and months away, eager PS5 owners can thankfully look forward to an early glimpse at the PS5 version relatively soon with an open beta. This was announced at the same time as the PS5 version, but Square Enix has shared a blog post to not only remind everyone but also explain how to join. And don't worry, it's not an April Fools joke.
Final Fantasy 14's PS5 beta begins on Tuesday, April 13th and will become available alongside the planned Patch 5.5 (which also comes with additional content). For newcomers looking to jump into the MMO for the first time, signing up is incredibly simple. Just go to the PlayStation Store, search for the Final Fantasy 14 page, and download the free trial.
For PlayStation 4 owners who wish to carry over their existing characters and game data to the PS5 beta, it requires a slightly different method. Those who have a physical copy of the PS4 version must make sure they first sign in with the PlayStation Network account they're using to play the PS4 version and search for the Final Fantasy 14 PS5 Upgrade Edition (Beta Version). Those who own a digital copy won't need to visit the PlayStation Store at all. Simply select the game from the Game Library menu and there should be a PS5 Upgrade Edition (Beta Version) icon to select.
The blog post also mentions that the official release of the PS5 version will depend on the progress of the open beta and will begin immediately after the beta ends. This means that, rather than only run for a week or one month, the beta could very well last for several months, assuming the PS5 version does release in the fall. All game data from the beta will be transferred to the full game as well.
Anyone hoping that the beta will come to the Xbox consoles is completely out of luck. A couple of months ago, producer and director Naoki Yoshida explained that Square Enix simply doesn't have the resources at the moment to bring Final Fantasy 14 to the Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S.
Final Fantasy 14Â is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 5 version will release later this year.
Source: Square Enix