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Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold preorders begin on November 4, 2026, but North America has separate opening times for Mog Station and other stores. Before choosing an edition, check your existing account: Steam and standalone Windows licenses are different, and the physical Collector's Box contains no game.
Square Enix's November 2 clarification gives North American digital preorders through Mog Station a start of approximately 01:00 PST on November 4. Steam, console stores and the Square Enix Store, including the Collector's Box, follow at 10:00 PST. Those times convert to 09:00 and 18:00 UTC respectively, or 04:00 and 13:00 EST. A missing purchase button during the earlier window does not necessarily signal a delay.
The European press announcement gives November 4 at 09:00 GMT. These are regional storefront schedules, so check the shop that matches your account rather than applying North America's later time everywhere. The expansion itself launches February 23, 2027; eligible players get tentative early access from February 19 at 01:00 PST, equivalent to 09:00 GMT. Preordering does not open the new adventure straight away.
The North American product page lists the following US-dollar prices. Treat them as product prices, then check local pricing, tax and any physical delivery costs before paying; they are not a worldwide checkout quote.
Standard is the sensible default if your goal is to play the expansion. Digital Collector's Edition costs US$20 more, so choose it for those three extras rather than expecting a larger story. Steam and console collectors should price the physical box and their own platform's software separately. A premium-looking package is not useful if its license cannot register to your account.
Preordering eligible game editions brings a Wind-up Köttr minion, Halone's Earring and early-access eligibility. The earring boosts experience from defeating enemies by 30% through level 100 for Disciples of War or Magic; it does not boost every activity. Square Enix says Mog Station and console-store preorder bonuses register without a separate code, while some other purchase routes require code redemption. Check your order's instructions and the correct service account before claiming anything.
Evercold's product page says early access requires Dawntrail to be registered and certain quests completed. Its inclusion of earlier expansions does not, by itself, establish when missing content becomes playable after a preorder. If you still need Endwalker or Dawntrail for your catch-up plan, confirm that access timing with your chosen store rather than assuming a November purchase unlocks them immediately.
Switch 2 requires its own FFXIV subscription even when you already subscribe on another platform. Square Enix offers that subscription at half price when you have qualifying paid game time elsewhere; another platform's initial 30-day free period does not qualify. Nintendo Switch Online is not required. Existing players should register to their current service account to keep using their characters, and the Nintendo account's region must match the Square Enix account region.
Xbox Series X|S has another cost to consider: the official requirements list Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate for the paid game, in addition to the FFXIV subscription. PlayStation Plus is not required on PS4 or PS5. Budget for platform access and FFXIV game time separately.
Square Enix's November 4 requirements page labels its Evercold specifications provisional. Windows lists Windows 11 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-8400, 8GB RAM, and a GTX 970 4GB or RX 480 4GB at minimum; the recommended tier uses an i7-9700, 16GB, and an RTX 2060 6GB or RX 5600 XT 6GB. Windows and Mac both list 145GB of free space. Check the exact supported Mac model and operating system on the official page before committing.
Provisional console storage is 120GB on PS5, 125GB on PS4, 155GB on Xbox Series X|S and 140GB on Switch 2. These are minimum free-space requirements, not download sizes; recheck before launch.
Evercold heads to the icebound Fourth and raises the level cap from 100 to 110. Bastion is the new tank, while Zephyr is a physical ranged damage dealer; both use Evolved Mode. The broader update introduces Reborn and Evolved combat options, seasonal progression and more character customization. Some changes, including the battle-system update, are available without purchasing Evercold, and Square Enix warns that announced content may arrive through later patches.
Start with your account, then decide what you actually want to play in February. A collector who wants physical goods has a different decision from a returning player still working through older quests. If you are also comparing another MMO this week, our World of Warcraft: Forever access guide explains its own subscription and launch requirements. Do not assume the two games sell access in the same way.
There is no need to choose a premium edition to prove you are ready for the expansion. Prioritize a compatible license and enough time for your catch-up plan. This article checks official announcements, not hands-on play: it cannot establish campaign quality, job balance, server queues or final performance. If those factors decide your purchase, waiting for fuller demonstrations and launch testing is reasonable.
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