Final Fantasy 14 has been one of the biggest and greatest MMOs since it dropped over 13 years ago, but it’s only now that Xbox players can finally start joining the party. However, ahead of its full launch on March 21, developer Square Enix has confirmed that FF14 Xbox players will have to use a brand new currency called FFXIV Coins to purchase things from the store, rather than just paying with real money like those on the PS5 version of the game have done for years.
There’s no doubt that FF14 is going to muscle its way onto our best Xbox games list when it comes out of open beta and fully releases, but the news that Xbox players will have to jump through an extra hoop to get a hold of everything from cosmetic items to new expansions is a bit of a weird one. Instead of just paying for what you want on the Final Fantasy Online Store or the Mog Station (the latter deals with payments for subscriptions, expansions, and other important account-based services), you’ll have to first buy FFXIV Coins. If you’re planning on playing one of the best MMOs solely on Xbox, you have to pay using this new currency.
It’s currently unclear if Final Fantasy Coins will be sold in bundles, or if there’ll be a direct sliding scale that lets you determine how many you can purchase at once for a set price-per-Coin. If it’s the former, there may well be some complaints. We’ve seen in many other multiplayer games over the years that bundles of in-game currency are often strategically designed to leave you buying more than you need. Call of Duty is a main culprit, often picking price points for cosmetics or battle passes that are slightly more expensive than the value of a COD Point currency bundle.
While not explicitly stated, it’s likely the new currency has been introduced to allow Xbox to take a percentage cut of any Final Fantasy Coins sold on the Xbox Store. As mentioned, this extra step isn’t something players on PS5 or PC have ever had to deal with, as they can simply purchase items directly from the Online Store and Mog Station.
If you are planning to play (and spend) on Xbox, then Square Enix’s official guidance can be found here.
The decision to create a new currency is the latest odd difference between the Xbox version of the game and other platforms. The biggest quirk is that, on top of the monthly FF14 subscription you’d have to pay for once your free trial period ends, Xbox players must have an active sub to Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate to access the game. In comparison, those on PS5 don’t need to have a PS Plus subscription to jump into FF14.
Admittedly, millions of Xbox players are already subbed and enjoying the best Xbox Game Pass games, but it’s not all of them.
It seems that weirdness just follows FF14 and Xbox around at the moment. Xbox revealed recently that it was giving away this gorgeous themed Series X to one lucky fan. However, what it failed to mention is that the console doesn’t actually work at all.