Square Enix is ending the free access period for Final Fantasy 14 on Nintendo Switch 2, reinstating the requirement for a paid subscription from Monday, 7 September. The move follows a month-long grace period after the MMO's Switch 2 launch, and matters because the console version requires its own separate subscription in addition to any existing Final Fantasy 14 subscription players may hold on other platforms.

Players on Switch 2 do not need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play, and those already subscribed on another platform get 50% off the Switch 2 subscription cost. Rather than paying directly, players must buy FFXIV Coins via the Nintendo eShop and redeem them through the game's Mog Station to cover fees, though automatic renewals only work if enough coins are held in the account. Anyone who buys the Starter or Complete Edition gets 30 days of free play before needing to subscribe, while those who have never purchased any version of the game can keep playing indefinitely via the free trial without a subscription.