Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail pre-orders beset with issues

The next expansion for MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, Dawntrail, is up for pre-order, but the process has been beset with issues.

It began with failed card payments when pre-ordering on the Square Enix Store, which Square Enix acknowledged. In a post on X, it suggested using PayPal instead and then stated transaction difficulties had been resolved, before admitting some issues persisted. Using the 'Guest Checkout' was recommended instead.

And that was if users could even reach the store. The website was unable to cope with the amount of traffic, meaning fans were beset with error messages before even reaching card payments.

Over on Steam issues have also persisted. Many users reported registration codes not being granted - Square Enix stated it was working with Valve and the issue should now be resolved.

However, the most recent social media post states there is a delay in receiving bonus codes following pre-orders via the Square Enix Store. "Rest assured, codes are being delivered sequentially, but the email may take up to several hours to arrive due to the high volume of orders," reads the post.

So while the site now seems to be more stable, it appears there are still issues with delivery.

It's proof of how popular the game is, following issues with previous expansion Endwalker. When that was released, the game suffered major server congestion issues, with Square Enix offering extra game time for those stuck in long queues. Eventually, the game was taken down from sale due to its popularity.

Let's hope these pre-order issues aren't the first sign of a difficult launch for Dawntrail, with further server issues down the line.

Dawntrail is set for release on 2nd July, with early access available from 28th June. There are also Final Fantasy 9 references, which remain a secret for now.