Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold will miss its January 2027 window. That window was set when Square Enix first announced the expansion. The delay was revealed at Fan Festival 2026 in Tokyo. The sixth expansion now has a fixed launch day in late February. Players who pre-order can jump in four days before launch, on February 19.

The new date applies to every version of the game. That covers PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 version launched on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, so Evercold will be its first expansion release. That version needs its own subscription, even for players who already pay on another platform. It does not require Nintendo Switch Online.

Yoshida made the delay call to buy three weeks

The team was only barely on track for January and needed roughly three more weeks to reach its quality bar, MMORPG.com reported. Producer and director Naoki Yoshida made the decision to delay himself. For players, the cost is a short wait rather than an open-ended one, since the new date is already locked.

Yoshida also bowed in apology on stage for missing the original target, PCGamesN reported. The firm date gives players a clear schedule for buying the expansion in time for early access.

Zephyr brings a crossbow and a bird familiar

Yoshida revealed Zephyr during the opening keynote in Tokyo. It is the second of Evercold’s two new jobs. The job fights at range and gets support from a bird familiar called Nephele. Square Enix also said at the event that Final Fantasy XIV Online now has more than 35 million registered accounts worldwide.

Pre-orders for both the expansion and the previously announced Collector’s Box open on the same day in November. The Collector’s Bundle will be sold in limited quantities, only through the Square Enix Store. Buyers should note one catch. The standalone Collector’s Box contains only physical goods. It does not include the expansion, in-game items or pre-order bonuses.

Those bonuses are an in-game Wind-Up Köttr minion and Halone’s Earring, an item that boosts experience.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Evercold is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, February 23, 2027!

Pre-order starting Wednesday, November 4, 2026 to be eligible for early access beginning Friday, February 19, 2027! pic.twitter.com/DPB2hgcJhF

— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) October 31, 2026

An Evercold benchmark that lets players try the new character creation options is currently planned for December.

Sources

  • FINAL FANTASY XIV: Evercold Releases February 23, 2027! (Square Enix (The Lodestone))
  • "ZEPHYR" UNVEILED AS SECOND NEW JOB FOR FINAL FANTASY XIV: EVERCOLD, SET TO RELEASE ON TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY … (Square Enix Press Hub)
  • Final Fantasy XIV Evercold Delayed Till February 2027 (MMORPG.com)
  • Here's the FF14 Evercold release date and everything announced during Yoshi-P's Fanfest Tokyo keynote (PCGamesN)

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