Final Fantasy XIV Free Trial Now Includes Shadowbringers Expansion: What You Need to Know

FFXIV Free Trial Expands to Include Shadowbringers

At the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in Anaheim, California, held in April 2026, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida announced that the FFXIV Shadowbringers expansion would now be part of the game’s free trial experience. This update adds Shadowbringers to the base game and the previous expansions, Heavensward and Stormblood.

However, many restrictions on the free trial remain in place. Newcomers can access the expanded trial, but existing subscribers must obtain a new time card or wait for a free login campaign to restart their trial period. Players already in the free trial before April 28, 2026, will now have access to Shadowbringers as well.

How the FFXIV Free Trial Works

To participate in the free trial, players must create a new Square Enix account and download the game on PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC. The trial allows players to:

• Create up to eight characters on a single data center.
• Level characters up to level 80.
• Access all jobs and races from the base game and three expansions, including:
  • Jobs: Astrologian, Bard, Black Mage, Dancer, Dark Knight, Dragoon, Gladiator, Gunbreaker, Machinist, Monk, Ninja, Paladin, Red Mage, Samurai, Scholar, Summoner, Warrior, White Mage, and Blue Mage (limited job).
  • Races: Au Ra, Elezen, Hrothgar (male), Hyur, Lalafell, Miqo’te, Roegadyn, and Viera (female).

Players can join parties, be part of linkshells, and participate in in-game activities, but they are subject to several limitations:

• Cannot hold more than 300,000 gil.
• Cannot use the Party Finder or Companion App.
• Cannot participate in PvP.
• Cannot trade, use the Moogle Delivery Service, or interact with the market board.
• Cannot send chat messages or interact with Free Companies and retainers.

Expansions Included in the Free Trial

The free trial now includes three expansions: Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers. Expansions released after 2020, such as Endwalker and Dawntrail, are not included in the free trial. The next expansion, Evercold, is set to launch in January 2027, and more details will be revealed at future Fan Festival events.

Platform Availability

Final Fantasy XIV is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The game will also come to the Switch 2 in August 2026.

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