- Square Enix and Tencent end the Final Fantasy XIV Mobile licensing agreement, canceling its international release.
- The Chinese version of the game will shut down its servers on September 30, 2026, after just over a year of service.
- The companies attribute the decision to business adjustments and market changes, and apologize to the players.
- The original MMORPG is still active and will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 in August 2026, with the Evercold expansion planned for 2027.
The highly anticipated mobile adaptation of Final Fantasy XIV has gone to ruinSquare Enix and Tencent have jointly announced that they are ending the licensing agreement that gave rise to Final Fantasy XIV MobileThis means the definitive cancellation of its global launch and the closure of the Chinese version. The news has come as a major disappointment to fans who have been waiting for months to be able to play Eorzea on their mobile devices outside of Asia.
According to the official statement, the decision is in response to “adjustments in business operations and changes in the market environment”No further details have been given. Both companies maintain that the split was amicable and express their gratitude for the time and support players have given to this portable version of the popular MMORPG. They also explicitly apologized to those who were eagerly awaiting the global release, acknowledging that they were unable to meet expectations.
A project that barely lasted a year
The development of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile was developed by LightSpeed StudiosSquare Enix, an internal Tencent studio known for titles like PUBG Mobile. The alliance between Square Enix and Tencent dates back to 2018, but it wasn't until November 2024 that they launched their own project. The Final Fantasy XIV Mobile project has been officially confirmed.After months of rumors, the game was finally released in China in June 2025 as a soft launch, intended to test the waters before a potential international release. However, The service has barely lasted a little over a year.
The Chinese version of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile will stop working on 30 September 2026This leaves approximately 76 days for current players to continue enjoying the game. From the moment of the announcement, new user registrations have been suspended, and the ability to purchase virtual currency within the game has been removed. Account and character data will be deleted in accordance with Chinese data protection laws, and the forum and customer support will remain open until October 15, 2026.
Apologies and thanks to the community
In the statement, the development team wanted to Thank you for the support of the Chinese community.who actively participated with suggestions and feedback throughout the game's brief lifespan. "Thank you, truly, from the bottom of our hearts," the statement reads. At the same time, they apologized to international players who were expecting a global release, something that will ultimately not materialize. This closure follows other recent Square Enix shutdowns in the games-as-a-service sector, such as Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, whose servers will be shut down in October 2026 after three years of operation.
Despite this setback, The original Final Fantasy XIV continues as normalThe MMORPG, which is already available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in August 2026, and the expansion Evercold will arrive in January 2027A collaboration with Evangelion has also been announced. For fans of the series, the desktop and console versions remain the place to experience the adventures of Eorzea, while the mobile adventure has been discontinued without ever truly taking off.