Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold Slips Three Weeks to February 23, 2027

Three weeks does not sound like much. In most of the games industry, a slip that small barely makes the news. But Final Fantasy XIV players plan their lives around expansion day: holidays booked, Free Companies organised, raid statics ready to race. So when producer and director Naoki Yoshida stood on stage on the opening day of Fan Festival 2026 in Tokyo and moved the date, the whole community felt it.

Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold, the sixth expansion, now launches on Tuesday, February 23, 2027, on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. It had been promised for January 2027 ever since its reveal at the Anaheim Fan Festival on April 24, 2026. Pre-orders opened on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and pre-order holders get early access from February 19.

Why the date moved

According to PC Gamer's report on the announcement, Yoshida cited quality concerns and said the team had only "just barely" been on track for January. The extra three weeks go into polish rather than new features.

That is very much in character. Final Fantasy XIV exists in its current form because the original 2010 release launched before it was ready, and the studio has treated "don't ship it broken" as a founding rule ever since. (We tell that story in full in our rebirth feature.)

What the wait buys

Evercold opens a new story arc, the Godless Realms Saga, and sends the Warrior of Light into the Icebound Realm of the Fourth. The confirmed headline features:

• Level cap 110, up from 100.
• Two new jobs. Bastion is a main tank who fights with two greatshields called skyltborg, revealed at the Berlin Fan Festival in July. Zephyr is a physical ranged DPS who uses crossbow shots and an avian familiar named Nephele.
• Two combat styles. "Reborn" mode keeps today's job design, while "Evolved" mode leans harder into each job's identity. Square Enix says the two new jobs are playable only in Evolved mode.
• Beyond the Lifestream, an eight-player raid series made with the Final Fantasy VII Remake team, and a new Fierce difficulty that sits between Normal and Savage.
• EVANGELION: Ghosts of Desire, an alliance raid crossover made with studio khara.
• A new city, Fargarth, and the realmships Naglfar and Hringhorni, plus a reworked Seasons reward system.

Pre-order details

Pre-ordering on Mog Station, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store or Nintendo eShop applies the bonuses automatically. Square Enix lists three:

• Early access from February 19, 2027.
• Halone's Earring, an accessory that boosts experience from defeating enemies by 30%, handy for levelling jobs up to 100.
• A Wind-Up Köttr minion.

A limited Collector's Bundle is sold only through the Square Enix Store. Its digital items include a Valhallar Odin mount, an Entreat Crystal emote and a Crystal Skyltborg weapon for Bastion. Square Enix had not listed prices in the materials we reviewed, so check your regional store.

Korea is on the same clock

Korean players do not have to wait any longer than everyone else. Since patch 7.5 on April 28, 2026, Actoz Soft's Korean servers have run on the global patch schedule. Korean coverage of the new date confirms the same February 23 launch, with early access on the 19th. Before that sync, the Korean version ran behind the global schedule.

What's next

The next stops are a new benchmark tool, which Korean reports expect in early December, and more Live Letters filling in dungeons and job details. There is also a long-term note for PlayStation 4 owners: Square Enix expects PS4 support to end after patch 8.3, roughly two years after launch.

WGC's take: A three-week delay is the cheapest insurance an MMO can buy. After a two-and-a-half-year wait, a smooth launch week counts for far more than a January date. If you are new, the free trial is the best on-ramp in the genre. If you are a veteran, you have three extra weeks to finish your relic grind.