Key facts
- Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIV's sixth expansion, Evercold, will launch on February 23, 2027, shifted from the January 2027 window announced earlier, with early access beginning February 19, 2027.
- Producer and director Naoki Yoshida personally decided to delay Evercold because the team was barely on track for January and required about three additional weeks to meet its quality bar.
- IGN described the delay as only a four-week delay.
- Evercold is patch 8.0 and begins the "Godless Realms" saga, sending players to the Fourth, one of 13 reflections belonging to the original Source world.
Square Enix announced on Oct. 31, 2026, at Fan Festival 2026 in Tokyo that Final Fantasy XIV’s sixth expansion, Evercold, will launch on February 23, 2027, shifted from the January 2027 window set at the North American Fan Fest in April 2026. Early access begins February 19, 2027, and the new date applies to every version, including PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
Producer and director Naoki Yoshida said he personally made the call because the team was barely on track for January and needed about three additional weeks to meet its quality bar. IGN characterized the slip as a four-week delay.
Pre-orders open on November 4, 2026, and will include the Wind-Up Köttr minion and Halone’s Earring, an experience-boosting earring. The Collector’s Edition adds a Reaper figure, an Ethos metal keychain, a Kottr mini plush, the “Tapestry of the Fourth,” and an Evercold special art box with artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.
Evercold adds two new jobs: Bastion, a tank, and Zephyr, a physical ranged damage dealer who fights with a crossbow and is supported by an avian familiar named Nephele. Bastion was previously announced, while Zephyr was revealed during the opening keynote in Tokyo. An Evercold benchmark is planned for December to let players try the new character creation options.
The expansion includes a Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover raid series called “Ghosts of Desire,” with guest creator Mahiro Maeda. It also features a Final Fantasy VII Remake crossover raid series titled “Beyond the Lifestream: Fated Collision,” an eight-player series that adds a new Fierce difficulty between Normal and Savage. Evercold is patch 8.0 and begins the “Godless Realms” saga, sending players to the Fourth, one of 13 reflections belonging to the original Source world.
Evercold will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PlayStation 4 and PC through Steam. Final Fantasy XIV Online has reached more than 35 million registered accounts globally.
New areas include Sessrymnir Realmship of Earth, Skiðblaðnir Realmship of Wind, Naglfar Realmship of Water, Hringhorni Realmship of Fire, and Fargarth. Sessrymnir is one of the Fourth’s five massive airships, large enough to function as a world containing settlements and fields.
Evercold adds new dungeons, trials, a new raid series, a new Ultimate raid, and player-versus-player updates. It raises the level cap from 100 to 110, updates the Adventurer Activity interface toward a weekly-based system, introduces a Seasons system for rewards, adds an Armoury Update for several jobs, and expands character customization.
Patch 7.5 launches April 28 with new main scenario quests, a new Trial, and Echoes of Vana’diel Part 3, followed by Patch 7.51 on June 2, Patch 7.55 on July 28, and Patch 7.56 on Sept. 8. On April 28 the Free Trial expands to include Shadowbringers, covering content through Patch 5.58 and adding Au Ra plus Dark Knight, Astrologian and Machinist.
Final Fantasy XIV first released for personal computers in September 2010, with A Realm Reborn arriving on Windows PC and PlayStation 3 in August 2013, PlayStation 4 in April 2014, PlayStation 5 in May 2020, and Xbox Series X|S in March 2024. Square Enix announced in February 2022 that it will support the MMORPG for the next 10 years. The game has received five previous expansions: Heavensward in June 2015, Stormblood in June 2017, Shadowbringers in July 2019, Endwalker in December 2021, and Dawntrail in July 2024.
Takashi Kiryu, Square Enix president and CEO, closed the keynote to announce the Nintendo Switch 2 version arriving in August 2026, with an early access period to test server stability before official service. The Switch 2 version will let adventurers from more platforms join together.
The official account confirmed the timing in a post. “FINAL FANTASY XIV: Evercold is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, February 23, 2027!” — FINAL FANTASY XIV (@en.finalfantasyxiv.com).
The team also announced the crossover raid on social media. “Announcing the FFXIV x FFVII Remake 8-player crossover raid series: Beyond the Lifestream: Fated Collision.” — FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN).
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