"No plans" to make Final Fantasy 14 free-to-play, says Yoshida

Final Fantasy 14 director says no plans to make the MMORPG free-to-play despite expanding free trial over the years
Revenue from expansion sales remains important to keep funding big content updates
Game marking 10th anniversary after rebirth as A Realm Reborn in 2013
Team focused on keeping veterans and newcomers excited with each expansion
Developers like Yoshida treated like rockstars but praise spreads to unseen staff keeping the game running

eurogamer.net

Relevant topic timeline:

9/7/2023

Square Enix Has 'No Plans' to Make Final Fantasy 14 Free to Play, Even Though Lots of It Already Is - IGN

Square Enix has no plans to make Final Fantasy 14 free to play, but will continue to expand the free trial, with the upcoming expansion increasing the level cap and bringing new story content and graphical updates.

9/15/2023

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Launching February 2024 as PS5 Exclusive for 3 Months

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be exclusive to PlayStation 5 for at least three months, with a release date set for February 29, 2024, guaranteeing the game's exclusivity until May 29, 2024.