While the genre is certainly far from its peak, one of the more successful MMORPGs in today’s day and age is Final Fantasy XIV. That said, Square Enix’s first take on the formula – FFXI – remains just as popular in many regards. Following in the footsteps of its successor, the original Final Fantasy XI is now receiving a new Unlimited free trial.

Making the official announcement as part of their latest livestream (translated by Reddit user ‘hikiri’), Square Enix / the Final Fantasy team revealed that FFXI’s free trial is being vastly expanded.

Set to go live sometime next month, the update will come in two phases. First, free trial users will now have their level caps raised from 50 to 75. More excitingly however, Square will then follow this up with a backend server change which will allow for unlimited playtime – as opposed to the previous 14 day trial.

Of course, being a ‘free trial’ there are plenty of restrictions, including but not limited to:

• Fewer available jobs
• A maximum of 3 characters on your account
• 100,000 gil currency cap
• You cannot trade with other players
• Smaller max party size
• More limited communication
• Can only access zones from the Vanilla game

The full list of limitations is pretty exhaustive and can be found HERE. That said, Square’s Final Fantasy free trials remain some of the best in the MMO space. If you’ve not checked out FFXI before, next month is as good a time as any.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of the Final Fantasy MMOs? Between FFXI and XIV, which do you prefer? Let us know down below.

Independent US developer ProbablyMonsters (which I interviewed earlier this year) today announced the release date and pricing details for Crimson Moon. The Gothic High Renaissance action-adventure RPG, originally unveiled earlier this year, is launching very soon, on September 1, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X, priced at $19.99. Set in the besieged city of Gildenarch, Crimson Moon casts players as Nephilim — half-human, half-angel warriors bound to a dark prophecy — battling demons, vampires, undead gods, and the spreading Hellgrowth as they reclaim the city, district by district. Built around intense, replayable missions, the game blends deliberate melee combat, celestial […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/probablymonsters-crimson-moon-1999-replay-loops-gothic-action-rpg/

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII remake project has been a massive undertaking, with the 1997 PSOne classic having been remade over the course of 10 years, two console generations and three entire games. In discussing the potential for other such remake projects similar to FFVII, series producer Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) revealed why this likely would not be a great idea.

As transcribed / translated by Genki_JPN, Final Fantasy series producer Naoki Yoshida was asked about the prospects of remaking the likes of Final Fantasy 6, 8 or 9 following the conclusion of their work on FFVII. Explaining why this perhaps would not be the best idea, Yoshida stated:

“Of course I understand the feelings of the players, but you gotta think about it. Look at Final Fantasy VI, it's such an incredibly huge game. The scale is just immense. And the same applies for other titles like Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX. So of course now because you are working on the Final Fantasy VII series. I do get that people would be asking for Remakes of other titles. But if we did remake those other titles. We'd probably have to release them in 4 instalments or even 5 instalments.”

As mentioned, Final Fantasy VII’s remake has been a lifelong project for many, with a remake first being announced all the way back in the 2000s for the PS2 – though this ultimately never came to be. Then, a remake of the game’s intro cutscene was released in 2005 as part of the PlayStation 3’s marketing, further fueling desires for the project.
Of course, Final Fantasy VII Remake would eventually be officially announced for real this time during 2015’s iconic PlayStation E3 presentation.

Nearly 30 years on from the game’s original release – and almost as long since talks of a remake first popped up – the Final Fantasy VII Remake project is almost at an end. Given how long it's taken, it is perhaps best that the likes of FFVI, VIII or IX are seemingly not planned to be receiving a similar treatment.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the FFVII Remake trilogy? Would you like to see similar remakes for other entries in the franchise? Are you willing to wait a decade+ for them? Let us know down below.

Ever since the launch of the Switch 2 last year, Final Fantasy producer Naoki Yoshida has expressed desires to bring the ever-popular MMO Final Fantasy XIV to Nintendo’s latest handheld-hybrid. Following its official announcement back in April, Final Fantasy XIV has now gotten a concrete Switch 2 release date.

Back in April, during their Final Fantasy XIV showcase (in which new expansion ‘Evercold’ was announced), Square Enix revealed that the MMO will officially be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 sometime during the 8th month of 2026.

With August almost upon us, the publisher has now given a concrete release date alongside launch details – officially confirming that FFXIV will land on Switch 2 next week on the 4th of August.

As mentioned back during its initial announcement, the launch will coincide with a free ‘test period’ with the team now confirming that Switch 2 owners will be able to check out the game for its first month without the need for a subscription.

After this however, you will need to cough up the monthly subscription fee (although a discount is being offered for members coming from other platforms.)

Regardless, Final Fantasy XIV remains one of the most popular MMOs still running, and so having it on Switch 2 is an exciting prospect – even if a constant internet connection will of course be required.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to checking out FFXIV on Switch 2? What’s been your favourite expansion so far? Let us know down below.

Around three weeks ago, Chinese indie developer Jotoyo unveiled Monster Fantasy, an interesting game that blends elements from Monster Hunter, Animal Crossing, and Stardew Valley, among others. The game is targeting a simultaneous PC and console release (though it remains to be seen whether it can pull it off) and will soon seek funding on Kickstarter, though the crowdfunding campaign has been delayed from July 15 to after the first public playtest, scheduled for September via Steam. Meanwhile, we reached out to Jotoyo to learn more about this promising mix of the action and life simulation genres. You can read our […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/monster-fantasy-interview-player-types-living-together/

Last week, IO Interactive announced that it was forced to cut some of its staff after Xbox abandoned funding for the Project Fantasy IP, first revealed over three years ago. Today, the developer has confirmed that it regained complete control of the intellectual property and the project, which it still wants to fund out of its own pockets. However, the downside is that the Istanbul studio, which opened in March 2023, will have to shutter. Following the end of our external finance partnership on Project Fantasy, IOI has regained full ownership of the project and our IP. We will continue to develop and […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/io-interactive-project-fantasy-funding-alone-xbox-bails-istanbul-office/

Final Fantasy VII Revelation marks the concluding entry in Square Enix’s long-running FFVII remake project, with the 3rd and final chapter set to launch next Spring. While part 2 of this trilogy – Rebirth – did not receive any post-launch support due to the team wanting to move on to Revelation as soon as possible, it seems the upcoming release will more than make up for it – currently listing as many as 9 different sets of DLC.

As discovered by ResetEra user ‘GodGraviel’ the Epic Games Store’s internal database was recently updated to include a ton of different DLC packs for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Revelation.

Given that the base game itself is still months away from release, these listings do not give much away in terms of details, all featuring relatively generic titles.

That said, based on what has been listed, it appears as though FFVII Revelation will offer:

• A Story Expansion Pass
• A Digital Contents Pack
• Premium Edition
• Premium Plus Edition
• Pre-order bonuses

Alongside all of these, 9 other DLCs have been listed – all with generic titles. While we do not know what these will entail, they are likely to be some form of cosmetic costumes or perhaps bonus materia.

Either way, with Final Fantasy VII Revelation marking the end of this decade+ long journey, it seems Square Enix are choosing to leave nothing on the table.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for Final Fantasy Revelation? What do you think all of the DLCs will be about? Are you hoping for content from other FFVII spin-offs? Let us know down below.

While IO Interactive are best known for their work on the HITMAN (and now 007) franchise, the team had been working for quite some years on an entirely new IP. Known simply as ‘Project Fantasy’ IOI’s next big gamble has unfortunately hit some roadblocks, with the title set to encounter lay-offs due to relationships with “an external partner” coming to an abrupt end.

IO Interactive’s Project Fantasy has been in development for years, with the mysterious title first being officially announced back in early 2023. While little was known about the project, it was confirmed to be an online-based fantasy RPG of sorts.

Though unsubstantiated, rumours did claim at the time that Project Fantasy was tied into Xbox in some way, with IOI simply stating back then “I don't think any word came out about any specifics about this, so we cannot comment on it.”

This of course all comes into play with the most recent announcement, in which IOI confirmed some less-than-stellar news for Project Fantasy, taking to Twitter to write:

“Today we have to share some more downbeat news. A relationship with an external partner on our own IP, Project Fantasy, has come to an end. This means we have to adapt to this new reality and its short-term consequences, including staffing decisions, which is what is happening as we write this update, and we are fully committed to supporting those affected through this challenging transition.”

IO Interactive continued, “Project Fantasy is a game, a world, and an IP that we absolutely love and remain 100% committed to, now and in the future. This wonderful universe will see the light of day.”

This news comes in the wake of recent reports claiming that Microsoft is moving away from working with 2nd/3rd party studios for Xbox, leading many to wonder whether this was what impacted Project Fantasy.

Regardless, IO Interactive seem to have a lot of faith in the product, and are determined to see it through to the end. Hopefully the team are able to fully realise Project Fantasy – and that it proves to be a success if/when it does eventually release.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this announcement? Have you been looking forward to Project Fantasy? Is this related to Xbox’s recent shake-up? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The rumored Xbox cuts are underway, with at least five first-party studios potentially closing: Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Arkane Lyon. But Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is also trimming Xbox's funding for third-party studios: today, they officially pulled out of funding Project Fantasy, IO Interactive's fantasy online action RPG announced in early 2023 and still largely under wraps, given that the Danish developer was busy making 007 First Light. IO Interactive revealed the news in a tweet, confirming that Xbox's decision inevitably forces the studio to lay off staff. However, they also made it clear that […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/xbox-funding-purge-io-interactive-rpg-kojima-od/

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII remake projects will soon be coming to an end, with the 3rd and final entry in the series – FFVII Revelation – set to release some time early next year. Marking the first title in the trilogy to be released across all platforms simultaneously, Steam users appear to be gearing up for its impending arrival, with 2020/22’s Final Fantasy VII Remake hitting its highest peak player counts since the game’s initial launch.

Officially shown off and detailed during Summer Game Fest, Final Fantasy VII Revelation is the 3rd and final entry in Square Enix’s ambitious remake project. Unlike FFVII Remake and Rebirth, PlayStation users will not be seeing any exclusive access to this conclusive chapter, with Square confirming that Revelation will launch day-and-date across all platforms – meaning PS5, Xbox, PC and even Switch 2.

With this in mind, it seems as though PC users are getting ready for the much-anticipated title, with SteamDB reporting an influx of players flowing in to play FFVII Remake.
While not quite as populace as during its initial Steam launch back in 2022 (wherein it saw a peak CCU of slightly under 14K) the game has shot up in players, recently hitting peaks of just over 10K concurrents – its highest since launch.

Curiously, the only other times in which Remake managed to approach such similar figures was upon the PS5 release of its follow-up Rebirth, and then again after the 2nd entry finally made its way over to Steam.

Of course, 10K or even 14K concurrent players is far from record breaking, even for a single-player game. That said, these do represent respectable figures given the fact that FFVII Remade didn’t come to Steam for over 2 years following its initial PlayStation arrival.

With the aforementioned Revelation set to launch day-and-date on the platform however, it will be interesting to see just how big the title winds up being, especially given that fans are clearly getting ready for its release.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you playing / replaying FFVII Remake in anticipation? How big do you think the final chapter’s launch will prove to be? Could it come anywhere close to the likes of other single-player games such as Resident Evil Requiem (344K CCU), Hollow Knight Silksong (587K) or even Cyberpunk 2077 (1.05m)? Let us know down below.

Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, the third and final entry in the remake trilogy. The game is scheduled for a multiplatform release in Spring 2027, hitting all of the major consoles, as well as PC on day-one. 

As previous teasers alluded to, in Final Fantasy Revelation, players will be able to pilot an airship to explore the world. You can then parachute down to the land whenever you want. As you would expect, in this third game, Cloud and the rest of the gang will try to put a stop to Sephiroth for good save the planet from destruction.

The action-oriented combat system returns for the sequel, but the roster of playable characters expands with Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine. As Vincent, players will be using guns and bestial transformations, while as Cid, players will use a lance to strike enemies while keeping them at a distance, along with AoE abilities.

While customisation options for the party have been a tad limited in the previous games, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will have a new system called FITS. This allows you to equip unique outfits based on classic Final Fantasy jobs like Black Mage and Warrior, which will also grant the character new moves as well.

New locations featured in the reveal include the Mideel archipelago, Wutai, and the Northern Continent. Players with existing save data for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will unlock the Chocobo & Moogle, and Phoenix summon materia early.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the big finale for the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy? 

With the delay of the Fable reboot to February 2027, The Blood of Dawnwalker is undoubtedly the most anticipated Western-made roleplaying game due in 2026. Despite being a new intellectual property, the debut game from Polish developer Rebel Wolves benefits from a core development team that worked in key roles on CD Projekt RED's masterpiece, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Indeed, the similarities with the award-winning open world RPG are many, but Rebel Wolves also introduced many features and twists that make it arguably even more interesting, at least on paper. Release Date, Platforms, Pricing The foundation of Rebel Wolves was announced […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/roundup/the-blood-of-dawnwalker-everything-we-know-dark-fantasy-open-world-arpg/

Aside from 007 First Light and continued development on Hitman: World of Assassination, IO Interactive does have one other game in the works. Codenamed Project Fantasy, this is supposed to be a fantasy-themed action game. 

Project Fantasy has been named in leaks before, but IO Interactive CEO, Hakan Abrak, addressed the topic head-on in a recent interview with The Game Business, describing the game as “in a very healthy place”, despite some turbulence last year with losing a partnership.

While Abrak did not name the partner that pulled funding in the interview, it is widely believed to have been Xbox, as early rumours about the game had linked Xbox to the project.

Abrak did confirm that IO Interactive has secured new funding for the game.

Project Fantasy is still in early development, with the bulk of IO Interactive currently focused on polishing up 007 First Light and getting it ready for launch later this month.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be interesting to see what IO Interactive can do with the fantasy genre, although it could be a few more years until this game is ready to be announced properly. 

So far, Square Enix have supported the Nintendo Switch 2 with quite a few titles, perhaps the most notable being the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake earlier this year. With its sequel Rebirth confirmed to also be heading to the handheld hybrid, Square Enix have now officially announced that the long-running and highly successful MMO Final Fantasy XIV is currently in development for Nintendo’s platform.

Last year, in the months following the Switch 2’s launch, Final Fantasy producer Naoki Yoshida expressed interest in trying to bring the ever-popular Final Fantasy XIV to the Switch 2, hoping to have “good news” for owners of the system in the future.

Sure enough, as part of their recent Final Fantasy XIV showcase (in which they announced the game’s latest expansion ‘Evercold’) Square Enix officially confirmed that the MMO is set to receive a Switch 2 port; arriving this August.

Those wanting to get in sooner may have the opportunity to do so, with Square claiming that they will have some form of Early Access ahead of time. Additionally, the team confirmed that players will not need to be subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online in order to play.

Given the nature of MMOs, and the fact that FFXIV is well over a decade old at this point (even with various visual refreshes), it would make sense for Square Enix to port the game over to the Switch 2.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to playing FFXIV on Switch 2? Do you reckon the game will support touch controls / mouse mode? Let us know down below.

After Naoki Yoshida told players to "please look forward to Final Fantasy XIV on Nintendo Switch," today, Square Enix not only revealed the sixth expansion for the game, Evercold, but also finally confirmed that the popular MMO will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch platform with a Nintendo Switch 2 version set for August 2026. The news was revealed by Yoshida today during the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim, and you can check out the full keynote from the first day below if you want to see Yoshida take to the stage to announce the […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/final-fantasy-xiv-nintendo-switch-2-august-2026-release-evercold-expansion/

It is not often that we start a report off speaking to the interior components of an SSD.  This is that exception so bear with us as this will play out very well.  Last June, we attended Computex and discovered a new PCIe 5.0 SSD controller by SMI, the SM2504XT.  Its extremely small footprint tied …

The post Acer FA300 Gen5 2TB SSD Review – We Discovered the Perfect Gen5 Laptop/Ultra Portable SSD! appeared first on The SSD Review.

While FuturLab’s PowerWash Simulator succeeded for many reasons upon its release back in 2022, one of its more interesting elements was the collaborations made between a ton of different and unexpected IPs. Alongside paid DLC which included Shrek’s swamp, Bikini Bottom and more, PowerWash simulator also offered two free crossover packs. Three years on from their initial release however, both the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII DLCs are being delisted.

Taking to their blog to make the announcement, the team at FuturLab officially confirmed that “It is the last chance to get your gloves on the free Tomb Raider and Midgar Special Packs for PowerWash Simulator. At 3PM BST on May 19th 2026, these Special Packs will no longer be available to claim across all store fronts.”

As with most digital purchases however, those who already own the packs (or add them to their library soon) will be able to freely download and play them whenever.

It’s no coincidence that the two free crossover packs were related to Square Enix owned (or previously-owned) IPs, as the OG PowerWash Simulator was published by them. As expected however, given that its sequel was self-published, the deal between FuturLab and Square Enix has since ended, with the devs noting:

“Our team loved working on both of these beloved gaming IPs and we have been incredibly lucky to offer them until this point. This also coincides with the end of our formal relationship with Square Enix in June, who have been an incredible partner and have supported the publishing of PowerWash Simulator on PC and console.”

Given that these free DLCs are listed as separate products, it is worth adding both to your library even if you currently do not own PowerWash Simulator. There likely will never be another opportunity for you to scrub both the Croft Manor and Seventh Heaven otherwise.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you enjoy PowerWash Simulator’s crossovers? Which has been the most out-there so far in your opinion? What collabs do you hope to see with PWS2? Let us know down below.

Square Enix have had a long history in the mobile gaming space, with the publisher porting many of its popular titles to the likes of Android and iOS. Following the launch of their most recent release – the mobile exclusive DISSIDIA DUELLUM FINAL FANTASY – Square Enix have confirmed that they are “exploring the possibility of a PC version” though nothing is confirmed as of yet.

Taking part in an interview conducted by the publication Siliconera, DISSIDIA DUELLUM FINAL FANTASY producer Naoya Matsumoto was asked about the possibility of bringing the mobile-exclusive title to the likes of the PC platform in future, “considering it must be played in Portrait Mode.”

According to Matsumoto, “We opted for the vertical screen because the game's concept is to be a ‘casual competitive game that anyone can easily play.' We determined that portrait mode was the most suitable choice because we prioritized controls that allow for casual, one-handed play on smartphones.”

Despite this, the producer did suggest that a wider release across more platforms is not out of the question, adding that “this constraint does not make a PC version impossible. While we cannot provide specific details at this time, we are currently exploring the possibility of a PC version.”

While far from official confirmation, the fact that Square Enix is ‘exploring’ the possibility means that it will quite likely find its way onto additional platforms eventually. Whether DISSIDIA DUELLUM would resonate with a wider audience remains to be seen, but given that the last major entry from a decade ago (Dissidia Final Fantasy NT) did eventually arrive on both PC and consoles, it is entirely possible.

We will have to wait and see, but in the meantime, DISSIDIA DUELLUM FINAL FANTASY is available to download now on iOS and Android.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Dissidia sub-series? Is it more suited to mobile platforms? Would you want its console / PC release to be 1:1 with the mobile version, or should they turn it into a premium paid product? Let us know your thoughts down below.

Final Fantasy is one of the biggest and longest-running franchises in gaming, with its roots stretching all the way back to the 1980s. Despite this, the IP has fallen in popularity somewhat over the past few years. According to Square Enix’s Yoshi-P, one of the reasons for its fall in cache is due to the “release intervals for new titles” having “gotten longer.”

Taking part in a mini video documentary discussing the release of the free-to-play mobile battler ‘DISSIDIA DUELLUM FINAL FANTASY’ long-time franchise producer/director Yoshi-P spoke pretty candidly on where the series is at currently, stating:

“The Final Fantasy series has an incredibly long history. I'm 53 now, and I've been playing since Final Fantasy 1 in real time. But for younger generations – people who grew up naturally accustomed to action-based combat and online competitive play – the recent entries in the series may have been harder to engage with.”

Yoshida continued, “Part of that is simply because I'm sorry to say . . . the release intervals for new titles have gotten longer, so some players haven't really had the chance to connect with the series the way older fans did. My hope is that both long-time Final Fantasy fans and those who love the characters themselves can enjoy this as a completely new kind of game.”

While it’s hard to imagine that the free-to-play DISSIDIA DUELLUM FINAL FANTASY will be what brings the series back into the limelight, it is encouraging at least to know that Square Enix themselves are aware of just how long their Final Fantasy games have been taking. It will be interesting to see how long we will have to wait to hear about a potential Final Fantasy XVII.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Final Fantasy franchise currently? Will it ever rise back up to the top, or have too many other franchises surpassed it? Let us know your thoughts down below.