Evercold release date now February 23, 2027 after Fan Fest
Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold's release date is now February 23, 2027, with early access starting February 19, 2027. Square Enix announced the roughly four-week delay from the original January 2027 window at Fan Fest in Japan, alongside a new full trailer for the expansion. The update landed during the Tokyo keynote as the MMORPG heads into version 8.0.
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Key Takeaways
- The Evercold release date is February 23, 2027, shifted from the January 2027 target.
- Early access begins February 19, 2027 — described as about a four-week delay.
- Pre-orders open November 4, 2026, with bonus items to be detailed later.
- Fan Fest Tokyo also unveiled the Zephyr ranged DPS job and a full Evercold cinematic trailer.
When is the Evercold release date?
According to IGN, Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold now launches on February 23, 2027. Early access starts four days earlier, on February 19, 2027.
Square Enix first framed the expansion for sometime in January 2027 during the North American FFXIV Fan Fest reveal in April 2026. The Tokyo Fan Fest keynote locked in the new calendar dates for early access and the full launch.
MMORPG.com's Fanfest Tokyo 2026 live blog matched those dates, noting Evercold moved out of its January 2027 window but "not by much."
Why was Final Fantasy XIV Evercold delayed?
Square Enix presented the change as a short slip rather than a long postponement. IGN reported the studio called it only a four-week delay from the original January plan.
Director and producer Naoki Yoshida used the Japan Fan Fest keynote to share more on new features, story direction, and gameplay changes tied to version 8.0. The delay was announced with the expansion's full trailer and opening cinematic, the usual third teaser format for FFXIV expansions.
Pre-orders for Evercold open on November 4, 2026. IGN said several bonus items will come with those pre-orders, with specifics revealed later in the same Fan Fest keynote.
What else was announced at Fan Fest Tokyo?
Beyond the Evercold release date, Yoshida's presentation previewed systems and jobs arriving with the expansion. IGN reported a second look at the new ranged DPS job Zephyr, which uses a crossbow and commands an avian companion for support.
MMORPG.com added that Zephyr starts at level 90, partners with a bird of prey called the Nephele, and uses only the Evolved battle mode. The expansion also includes Bastion, a new tank job, plus planned Neon Genesis Evangelion and Final Fantasy VII crossover raid series.
Story beats shown at the event set Evercold on The Fourth, where ice covers the land and inhabitants turn to airships. Alphinaud and Estinien remain key fixtures after accompanying the Warrior of Light in patch 7.5.6, per the live blog.
Players waiting on the launch window now have firm early-access and day-one dates, plus a November pre-order start, as Square Enix wraps Fan Fest season and builds toward Evercold's February 2027 debut.