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Tencent’s LightSpeed Studios To Helm ‘Final Fantasy XIV’ Mobile Port

Hot on the heels of the recently announced mobile game Monster Hunter Outlanders , Final Fantasy XIV will join the ranks of high-profile multiplayer titles making its way to mobile, with Tencent subsidiary LightSpeed Studios, makers of PUBG Mobile, at the reins.

Check out the reveal trailer for Final Fantasy XIV Mobile here:

According to the game’s official release, the mobile title will offer “an exciting extension of the beloved franchise” in a fresh mobile-friendly format. “[The game] will be a sister to FFXIV, aiming to recreate the grandeur of the original’s story and combat mechanics on mobile devices,” said Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida. “Non-combat features, such as Disciples of the Land and Hand, will also be faithfully implemented and we look forward to growing alongside the passionate FFXIV community.”

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Despite being a mobile title, the game will aim to match the visual fidelity of the original, with various visual elements like weather systems and character designs being “painstakingly crafted and optimized to bring the detail of the original game to life”. It was revealed that the title would also retain lifestyle content like fishing, Triple Triad, and chocobo racing.

As with many mobile titles released nowadays, a big question arises on whether it will include infamous gacha systems. Thankfully, Yoshida has clarified via an explainer video on YouTube that players will not have to worry about rolling for gear. However, this doesn’t mean that the game will be completely free of microtransactions though, with Yoshida stating that the team’s goal is to allow players to enjoy the full game experience without too heavy a reliance on monetisation.

Final Fantasy XIV remains one of gaming’s most famous “rags to riches” stories, with its original 2010 release met with an incredibly negative response, only for it to then be reborn under the new leadership of Yoshida as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn in 2013, which grew to critical and commercial acclaim, spawning five major expansion packs with this year’s Dawntrail being its most recent.

No release date has been revealed yet for Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, although the game is set to launch in China first, followed by a global release soon after.