Sign-ups for an open beta of Final Fantasy 14 for the PlayStation 5 will launch on April 13, according to publisher Square Enix. The test will give players a taste of performance improvements enabled by the console while shaking out remaining bugs. FF14 first premiered for Windows in September 2010, followed by a PS3 version in 2011. Both were widely panned for bugs and poor design. This prompted a major overhaul campaign, culminating with the launch of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn in 2013 - this version has proved much more successful, and there have since been three expansions, with a fourth Final Fantasy 14 expansion scheduled for fall 2021. The PS4 update arrived in April 2014, just a few months after the console's November 2013 debut.
The PS5 edition of the online RPG promises substantially faster load times, mostly thanks to the switch from platter drives to flash storage. The upgrade will also offer better frame rates, along with "true" 4K resolution support, and haptic feedback on DualSense controllers. Compatible accessories will support Sony's proprietary 3D audio standard.
In explaining the sign-up process, Square Enix noted that people who downloaded the PS4 version directly will be able to try the beta by selecting a "PS5 Upgrade Edition (Beta Version)" icon after opening FF14 on the Library screen. This will launch a new download, and enable access to all the content a person has already paid for. People with a physical disc will have to visit the PlayStation Store and download the beta from the appropriate store page. People starting a free trial as of April 13 will get beta access automatically.
A launch date for the finished PS5 edition "will be determined based on the progress of the open beta test and will begin immediately upon conclusion of the test," Square Enix says. Players can expect an announcement on the game's community site, the Lodestone, and possibly a precursor maintenance event to prepare servers. Downtime is common ahead of massively multiplayer game updates, though players are promised that all their game data will survive the transition out of beta.
The next expansion's name, Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker, initially fueled speculation that it could be the last such add-on. Square Enix later explained that it will simply conclude the main storyline, offering the possibility that new stories will get underway sometime later. Final Fantasy 14 is just one of many projects on the company's plate, however, another being Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade.
Source: Square Enix