Earlier in the week, whispers that had been circulating for months finally got a confirmation from Square Enix: a mobile version of the cherished MMO, Final Fantasy 14, is being crafted by Lightspeed Studios, the Tencent-owned brain behind PUBG Mobile. As the details were unveiled, a few key points emerged, such as the number of jobs available from the start and the plan to release it in China before rolling it out globally. Yet, one burning question lingered in the minds of many enthusiasts: where would the journey begin? Given the MMO’s five successful expansions, new arrivals can’t just dive into the latest content. Fortunately, producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida shed light on this mystery during a Q&A shared yesterday.
When this mobile version eventually launches, players will embark from the very beginning with A Realm Reborn. Yoshi-P clarified, “Those familiar with Final Fantasy 14 can relive the story on mobile, while newcomers can dive into a fresh adventure and experience the full narrative.” He further elaborated that a vast trove of content has already been developed by Lightspeed Studios, and their plan is to release it methodically and consistently. According to him, they’ll fine-tune the release schedule based on player feedback, possibly accelerating updates or maintaining the initial pace if players prefer.
However, it’s worth noting that A Realm Reborn isn’t technically the starting point—the original 1.0 release, though unplayable, contains story elements relevant to the revamped MMO narrative. Some fans have longed for a World of Warcraft Classic-like revival to explore 1.0, and this mobile release could have been the ideal chance. But alas, those intrigued by 1.0 might have to content themselves with nostalgic YouTube videos for now.
For those eager to know more, the full video is definitely worth watching, as it delves into aspects like monetization. While it’s set to be free-to-play, how it handles in practice is still a bit of a mystery.
