Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold delayed to February 23 as Zephyr job is revealed

Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold will launch on February 23, 2027, Square Enix announced during the 2026 Fan Festival in Tokyo. The date represents a delay from the January window disclosed in April. Early access is scheduled for February 19, while pre-orders open on November 4, 2026.

The presentation also revealed Zephyr, the expansion’s second new job. It is a physical ranged DPS that combines crossbow attacks with support from Nephele, a winged familiar. Square Enix also released the full Evercold trailer and said Final Fantasy XIV has surpassed 35 million registered accounts worldwide.

How the Evercold schedule changed

When Square Enix announced Evercold in April, it gave the expansion a January 2027 release window. The new date moves it to late February. Outlets covering the presentation report that producer and director Naoki Yoshida attributed the decision to the need for roughly three additional weeks to meet the team’s intended quality standard. That explanation was delivered during the event; the official release confirms the date but does not provide a technical development-status report.

The regular launch falls on Tuesday, February 23. Players with an eligible pre-order can begin on Friday, February 19 at 1 a.m. Pacific Time. Access is not automatic for every account: the official product page says players must have registered Dawntrail, completed certain quests and met the relevant platform requirements.

Pre-orders open November 4. Announced bonuses include the Wind-up Köttr minion and Halone’s Earring, which increases experience earned from defeating enemies by 30% from levels 1 through 100. Square Enix notes that the effect applies only under its stated conditions and that promotional items may become available through other means later.

Zephyr expands the physical ranged roster

Zephyr was introduced as a physical ranged DPS job. Its concept combines crossbow attacks with actions involving Nephele, a bird that accompanies the character in combat. The announcement confirms the broad role and visual identity, but it does not yet detail the entire rotation, level-by-level ability distribution or high-end balance. Definitive comparisons with Bard, Machinist or Dancer therefore remain premature.

The expansion begins the Godless Realms Saga and takes the Warrior of Light to the Fourth. Material shown during the event also introduced new regions and characters. One of the locations is Sessyrmnir, described as one of the world’s five vast airships, with settlements and fields built across its surface.

Thirty-five million accounts does not mean 35 million active players

Square Enix says Final Fantasy XIV has passed 35 million registered accounts. The figure is cumulative and covers registrations across the MMORPG’s lifespan. It should not be read as the number of paying subscribers, monthly users or concurrent players, metrics the company did not disclose in this announcement.

The distinction matters because the historical account total demonstrates the brand’s reach but does not measure current retention by itself. The practical effect of the delay will also depend on early-access stability, returning-player volume and the expansion’s ability to retain users after its opening content cycle.

Evercold will be available across the game’s supported platforms, including PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. A subscription remains required, and the product does not work by itself: the official page instructs players to have a compatible full version registered before adding the expansion.