Square Enix said at Japan Fan Fest that Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold will launch February 23, 2027, after its previously announced January window.
Pre-orders open on November 4, 2026, and customers who pre-order can begin playing on February 19, four days before the full launch.
The January-to-February shift is confirmed, but the exact January 2027 date originally planned has not been given.
The dates are:
| Milestone | Date | Who can take part |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-orders open | November 4, 2026 | All customers |
| Early access begins | February 19, 2027 | Customers who pre-order |
| Full launch | February 23, 2027 | All customers |
The move was a four-week delay. The confirmed schedule gives a January release window and a February 23 launch, without identifying the original January day.
A new ranged-DPS job, Zephyr fights with a crossbow and calls forth a falcon companion, Square Enix said.
Evercold will add two jobs, Bastion and Zephyr. The latter is a ranged-DPS job.
The expansion's Evolved Mode, which is intended to change abilities and rotations across player jobs, has not yet been shown in gameplay footage.
Alexander Cope, a staff writer covering deals and gaming news, said Evolved Mode would determine whether he played the game. “In my opinion, this will be the ultimate deciding factor if I decide to play Final Fantasy XIV, because after playing World of Warcraft 's much faster and more chaotic combat system, Final Fantasy XIV's combat feels slow and sluggish by comparison.”
Two points remain unresolved in the material supplied about the keynote: the original January release date and the date, if any, for a deeper look at Evolved Mode. Pre-order bonus items were due to be revealed later during the keynote.
