The Final Fantasy XIV fan festival is the highlight of the year to many Final Fantasy fans. The event does not fail to deliver huge and thrilling franchise announcements. The 2026 event didn’t disappoint. 

At the North American Fan Festival, director Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida announced a monumental crossover with the legendary Evangelion. That’s not all; at the same event, Final Fantasy XIV for the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially announced. 

Final Fantasy XIV x Evangelion Crossover: Ghosts of Desire

Director Naoki Yoshida, a self-proclaimed "Evangelion-otaku," announced a dream collaboration with Studio Khara for a new raid series.

Final Fantasy XIV x Evangelion Crossover Art. Image Credit:
FINAL FANTASY XIV

Square Enix has partnered with Studio Khara in a new 24-person alliance raid series that will be known as Ghosts of Desire. The announcement of Ghost of Desire is simply a dream come true for anime enthusiasts who play Final Fantasy XIV. 

Yoshida, an “Evangelion otaku,” was excited about working on the project. Sadly, the crossover announcement didn’t come with key gameplay details. We only get a short teaser clip to confirm the creation of the raid series. 

This is not Final Fantasy XIV’s first high-concept sci-fi crossover. The NieR: Automata collaboration remains a classic among players. But the creative synergy of the Ghosts of Desire raid promises to be a hauntingly beautiful one. 

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FFXIV is On Its Way To Nintendo Switch 2

A promotional graphic of Final Fantasy XIV will finally arrive on Nintendo's next-generation hardware this August.

FFXIV Switch 2 Art. Image Credit: Eurogamer

The second big disclosure involves the hardware aspect of the greatest MMO discussion. Final Fantasy XIV will finally arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2 in August. The next-generation Nintendo hardware brings the fantasy of fans having something to gnash their teeth over in Eorzea, after years of desiring such a portable option.

Nevertheless, there was a major caveat of the announcement that has led to controversy. In contrast to the PC, PlayStation, and Xbox iterations, which are based on a single subscription, the Switch 2 game will have a separate subscription.

According to Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu, months of talks with Nintendo had led to the conclusion that the Switch 2 ecosystem would require a dedicated service fee. To cushion the impact, Square Enix is providing some incentives:

  • Cross-Sub Discounts: PC, Xbox, or PlayStation players who already have an active subscription can get 50 percent off their Switch 2 subscription.
  • Switch Online Perks: FFXIV is not currently necessary to have a Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) membership, but people who already subscribe to FFXIV can acquire an NSO membership at half price.

Although this can be a bit of a frustrating detail to console hoppers, it is the cost of entry to enjoying a huge MMORPG on the latest Nintendo hardware.

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What This Means for FFXIV

key art represents the beginning of a new narrative saga for the game. Following the Lord of Hatred and Ghosts of Desire content, Evercold aims to redefine the Final Fantasy XIV experience

Evercold: The Next Chapter for Final Fantasy XIV. Image Credit: Wccftech

Final Fantasy XIV is ceasing its support on PlayStation 4 in two years. The move to Switch 2 and the introduction of the legendary Evangelion is a wonderful move to keep Final Fantasy XIV alive. But that is just the start.

Square Enix even teased the next big one, Evercold, will launch in January 2027. It will introduce two additional classes and a complete overhaul of the battle system into the game and it will mark the start of a new era for the MMORPG.