Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2 Might Be the Handheld MMO We've Been Waiting For
Final Fantasy XIV is shaping up to be one of the Switch 2's most technically ambitious ports, with Square Enix targeting stable performance while bringing the full MMORPG experience to Nintendo's latest hybrid console.
When Final Fantasy XIV was first announced for Nintendo Switch 2, skepticism was understandable. This is, after all, an MMORPG that has been evolving continuously for more than a decade. It spans multiple expansions, supports hundreds of players in shared social spaces, features massive raids, sprawling cities, and some of the busiest online hubs in gaming.
Translating all of that to a handheld system seemed like an enormous technical challenge. But it's clear that Square Enix seems to be taking on the task very seriously based on our early impressions of the game so far today at launch.
Source: Square Enix
Producer and director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) has confirmed that the team has prioritized consistent performance over raw frame rate, targeting a stable 30 FPS throughout the majority of gameplay. Rather than chasing higher numbers, the focus has been on maintaining smooth combat and reliable frame pacing during the content players spend most of their time enjoying things like main scenario quests, dungeons, trials, raids, crafting, gathering, and exploration.
"I want to be honest with you: we are working really hard on the optimisation. We are striving to get the best performance. I think with the towns, you may see a lower framerate, only because there are so many players that are rendered on the screen.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a wonderful console, and I think you can choose the way you want to play. You are more free to choose which mode to play in, so I hope that players will find the way to play that is most suited for themselves."
- Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), game director, during a press conference
Source: Square Enix
Cities like Limsa Lominsa regularly fill with hundreds of player characters showing off mounts, glamour sets, minions, and particle-heavy abilities. Even on significantly more powerful hardware, those areas have historically been among the game's toughest rendering scenarios. Square Enix has been transparent that these locations are where Switch 2 players are most likely to see performance fluctuate, but the team says it has spent considerable time optimizing the experience leading up to launch.
From the time I've spent with the game so far, you can definitely feel the impact. But since these are social gathering areas or just dialogue- and menu-heavy environments, it's not really a big detractor from gameplay. When you're outside of the city doing quests or in an instance, it's been very smooth so far.
I picked up playing with my level 30 Gladiator I abandoned a few years ago on PC, so it's been a little bit of a learning curve so far. Fortunately, if you really want to, you don't have to play in handheld mode or using a controller since there's mouse support on Switch 2, including both USB options and the Joy-Con's mouse mode.
Source: Square Enix
"As everyone already knows, the Nintendo Switch 2 is an amazing piece of hardware. If you place it in the dock, you can play in TV mode. If you use it in Portable mode, you can carry it and play it at your leisure. For example, when challenging a high-difficulty Raid, you can play on TV while connecting a mouse and keyboard, and then you can craft and gather while in Portable mode. I feel like this will enable a play style that is unique to Nintendo Switch 2.
Following the announcement at the keynote speech, I also saw some voices on social media asking, 'Is it going to be alright spec-wise?', but we are thoroughly optimizing it. There are no performance issues at all during actual content. It's much more hectic when you're in a town with a lot of characters, though I think it should run stably around 30 frames there as well. The performance is better in the actual content, so I think it should be okay, and you should not worry."
- Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), game director, in an interview with Famitsu reported by RPGSite
Unlike many MMORPG adaptations, this isn't a separate handheld version with isolated servers or reduced functionality. Switch 2 players log into the same persistent world as everyone else across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Every expansion, every raid, every social space, every seasonal event, and every update arrives together, allowing players to seamlessly continue their existing characters wherever they choose to play in both handheld and docked modes.
That's pretty wild. You'll still need a separate subscription, though, even if you already subscribe elsewhere. Fortunately, they have a discount offer for double-dippers.
From a visual standpoint, the game has translated surprisingly well to Nintendo's hardware. Final Fantasy XIV has always relied more on strong environmental art direction than cutting-edge rendering technology, and its painterly lighting, colorful zones, and readable combat effects seem naturally suited to the Switch 2's display.
The smaller screen in handheld mode may even help disguise some of the compromises that become more noticeable on larger televisions.
Final Fantasy XIV is now available on Switch 2 in a variety of versions, including a free trial. And don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter, join our 80 Level Talent platform and Discord, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, and Instagram, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
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