The PS5 beta for Final Fantasy XIV launches tomorrow alongside the game’s big 5.5 update, and Square Enix shared some details on what to expect. First off, despite the “beta” label, you’re getting access to the whole game without limitations. Basically, the beta label is just a precaution. As for what to expect in terms of visuals and performance, you can choose between 1080p, 1440p, and native 4K modes – the former two should deliver 60fps performance, while 4K will be an unlocked 40fps or so. That said, FF14 project manager Shoichi Matsuzawa warns 4K could drop down to as low as 30fps…
We will offer three rendering resolutions to choose from in the PS5 version: 4K (2160p), WQHD (1440p), Full HD (1080p), which will then be scaled to match your TV’s output. I wouldn’t want to make sweeping generalizations since there are so many different types of content in FFXIV, but in general, WQHD (1440p) and Full HD (1080p) should run at around 60 FPS during normal gameplay, and even in 4K (2160p) you should see frame rates around 40 FPS — significantly higher than the PS4 version. Of course, there are some instances where you have a few dozen (to a few hundred!) players gathering in certain areas, which places a heavy load on rendering, but even then I believe you can still achieve around a stable 30 FPS.
While this update only really affects resolution, Square Enix says they will likely update the game’s textures and assets in the future in “phases.” As of now, the game’s UI has been redone, and of course, load times are faster. Some initial DualSense support has also been added.
We implemented haptic feedback for a number of actions to deepen our players’ immersion further: this includes [introducing unique haptic feedback to things like] the footsteps of various mounts, actions for Disciples of the Land and Hand, and more. When it came to battle content, we deliberately kept the feedback to a minimum — for example, when a player uses a limit break — as we did not want to interfere with players’ concentration during a fight. We would love to hear player feedback regarding this, as we can take that into consideration as we make future adjustments.
When it comes to adaptive triggers, there aren’t too many areas within the game’s systems to which this feature would apply, but we did integrate it into smaller-scale content where we could, such as quests where you enter an FPS-type mode to complete certain objectives.
Final Fantasy XIV is available now on PC and PS4. The PS5 version launches alongside ver. 5.5 tomorrow (April 13). You can get more details on the update here.
