Final Fantasy 14 Director Confirms Nintendo Switch 2 Performance and Mouse-Keyboard Controls

One of the large announcements coming retired of Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026 was that the critically acclaimed MMORPG would travel to the Nintendo Switch 2 successful August of this year. Director and shaper Naoki Yoshida gave a unrecorded demo on-stage during the keynote presumption and outlined the abstracted FFXIV subscription exemplary for Switch 2. But determination weren't galore method details shared astatine that time. So, successful a roundtable interrogation astatine Fan Fest, Yoshida confirmed a fewer things: the Switch 2 mentation of FFXIV volition person rodent controls and it volition people 30 frames per second.

Yoshida was asked astir Joy-Con rodent capabilities and whether oregon not he's done high-level raid contented successful testing, and said, "For the archetypal portion of the question astir the built-in rodent controls, yes, it is supported and it is possible. And for the 2nd part, I person not tried going into a Savage raid with the built-in rodent yet!"

He did accidental that the QA squad is checking and investigating it successful the lead-up to release, but besides mentioned, "Because you tin usage a controller, I deliberation I would similar to usage one," specifically for the Switch 2 version. "You tin take the mode you privation to play. You tin enactment it successful the [dock] to play connected the TV, and I deliberation radical who privation to bash Savage raids mightiness privation to beryllium down, spell into the content, and I ideate they would hook up their rodent and keyboard," Yoshida expanded.

Like the console versions, it appears the Switch 2 mentation volition diagnostic afloat keyboard and rodent enactment arsenic well, but helium spoke to the advantages of being connected the handheld-console hybrid, saying, "Whereas, we tin besides play successful handheld mode, if you're a gatherer oregon crafter [in-game non-combat classes] you tin instrumentality it with you and bash much casual things." He noted that this coincides with the update coming with the caller enlargement Evercold and Patch 8.0 that volition determination the MMO to stress a play rhythm of recurring contented alternatively of regular cycles, saying, "You tin take what you privation to absorption connected and you are much escaped to take which mode to play, truthful I anticipation players volition find the mode that is astir suited for themselves."

When it comes to in-game performance, Yoshida prefaced things by saying, "I've already noticed immoderate comments connected the societal channels talking astir the specs and however does it comparison to the different much robust systems… I privation to beryllium honorable to you, we are truly moving hard connected the optimization for the level and we are striving to get the champion performance."

Afterward, Yoshida confirmed that FFXIV connected Switch 2 volition beryllium targeting 30fps. "In towns, you whitethorn spot a little frame-rate lone due to the fact that determination are truthful galore players rendered connected screen," helium explained. "But we are inactive capable to scope 30 frames per second, and enactment successful a unchangeable state." While 30fps isn't precisely perfect for FFXIV erstwhile you get to higher level contented (such arsenic raids), helium spoke to aiming for stableness by saying, "I deliberation show is thing you don't person to beryllium acrophobic about."

If you're funny successful playing FFXIV connected Switch 2, you'll besides person see the platform-specific subscription model. While you volition not beryllium required to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online, you volition request a abstracted FFXIV subscription for the Switch 2 version. Subscribers of FFXIV connected different platforms volition get 50% disconnected the Switch 2 fee, however. (The FFXIV escaped proceedings present extends to the 3rd expansion, Shadowbringers, and does not necessitate payment, though it comes with in-game restrictions.)

For much connected the MMORPG, beryllium definite to cheque retired my breakdown of the announcement of the adjacent enlargement titled Evercold and the uncover of the Evangelion x FFXIV crossover raid contented coming adjacent year.

Michael Higham is an exertion astatine IGN who regularly contributes with reviews, previews, features, and quality successful written and video form. He's usually entrusted with covering agelong RPGs and tech products, but he's got scope erstwhile it comes to games. You'll besides drawback him astatine events and hosting video content, including IGN's play podcast Unlocked.