After the horrific launch of Final Fantasy XIV about a year ago, Square Enix stopped all billing and allowed players to game for free while they worked on fixing it. It seems that FFXIV has reached a point where Square Enix believes it has been fixed, so its free-to-play run is coming to an end. Today Square Enix announced that billing will resume starting in late November or early December.
However this does not signal the end of development for FFXIV as version 2.0 has also been announced. FFXIV 2.0 will see a complete rebuilding of main main features including Level/Map design, the graphics engine, server system design, a completely new UI and many new community features.
Below Square Enix has outlined some of the major patches coming to FFXIV over the next year and below that is the rundown for when FFXIV version 2.0 will launch. You can also check out the Lodestone for the full road maps and more information about 2.0.
Major Milestones
- Late November to Early Decemeber, 2011 – Patch 1.20 (and subsequent hotfixes)
- Class adjustments (abilities & weaponskills) / Malevolent Moogle (Primal) battle
- Achievement system (300+ planned) / Market adjustments / PC search
- The continuation of Disciple of the Hand recipe adjustments (HQ items / Repair adjustments)
- Early February 2012 – Patch 1.21 (and subsequent hotfixes)
- Creation of Private Rooms (Inns, etc.) / Hamlet defense PvE content
- The job system (7 jobs plus related quests and gear) / Personal chocobo gear
- Two new instanced raids
- Mid April 2012 – Patch 1.22 (and subsequent hotfixes)
- Garuda (Primal) battle./ Battle system balance adjustments
- Garlean Empire battle content
- Early to Mid July 2012 – Patch 1.23 (and subsequent hotfixes)
- Garlean Empire Legatus battle
- Content surrounding the Twelve mythos
The Road to Version 2.0
- Late November to Early December – Monthly subscription fees begin (PC)
- Late November to Early December – Patch 1.20
- Early February 2012 – Patch 1.21
- February 2012 – Development test server reconstruction complete
- Mid April 2012 – Patch 1.22
- April 2012 – Version 2.0 client system complete
- Commence porting of current game content to version 2.0 client
- June 2012 – Worldwide launch of new promotion trailer at E3
- Early to Mid July 2012 – Patch 1.23
- September to October 2012 – Begin distribution of version 2.0 software for PC
- Begin distribution of PlayStation®3 system beta version
- October to November 2012 – Reinstate limited free trial period for PC version
- Commence PlayStation®3 system closed beta test
- Post-January 2013 – Version 2.0 client (PC and PlayStation®3 system) goes on sale
- Free trial period ends
Wow…they’re going to start making people pay, then stop for a while, then start again?! And even the developer’s own (rosy) projections have just four patches over the next nine months?