Final Fantasy XI rarely gets any updates these days, but fans still have a ton of love for Square Enix’s first attempt at turning its hit RPG franchise into an online behemoth. Now the game that began life on the PlayStation 2 is getting a more generous free trial nearly a quarter century later.
The 2002 release of Final Fantasy XI aimed to exploit the then-booming MMO craze alongside hits like World of Warcraft. Final Fantasy XIV, while not quite as popular today as it was at its peak, has enjoyed ongoing success which has helped revitalize interest in Square Enix’s first MMORPG. The 2002 game is certainly dated by modern standards, but newcomers now have a fresh reason to experience its old-fashioned gameplay sensibilities thanks to a revamped free trial that ditches time limits and raises the level cap to 75.
The game was first released as an online-only PS2 MMORPG before being ported to PC months later, with an Xbox 360 version eventually being released in 2006. Services for both console versions endured until 2016. Since the game’s initial release, there have been no fewer than five expansion packs and eight additional scenarios, with the latest released just a few years ago. The game even saw a boost in players in 2025 thanks to new quests in Final Fantasy XIV that tied back into the narrative of the original game.
But though long-time fans continued to trudge along with the game, the free trial was so stingy compared to the one offered by FFXIV that players would often meme about the discrepancy. Unlike the high level cap with no time restrictions and free access to story content across multiple expansions offered for XIV, the free trial for XI previously only allowed players to level a single character to 50, with a time limit of just 14 days before a paid subscription was needed. Both requirements have now been relaxed.
Not everything is open to free players. The free trial still limits you to the base game content only, and your account can’t hold more than 100,000 gil (in-game currency) at any one time. You’re also not allowed to trade or use the in-game auction house to acquire equipment and items. While you can join a party of other players, you can’t create one.
Personally, I just find it impressive that a PS2-era MMO like Final Fantasy XI is still able to find an audience. Changes like these can only help the game to continue finding success, perhaps for another 20 or more years. Maybe.