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Final Fantasy XIV Drops Windows 10 Support
July 19, 2025Square Enix has officially confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) will no longer support Windows 10 starting October 2025, in line with Microsoft’s own discontinuation timeline. Shared on July 18, 2025, via Eurogamer, the announcement has significant implications for PC players who stick with the decade-old OS.
The decision doesn’t come as a sudden curveball; Microsoft already said they’d sunset support for Windows 10 next year. But now that FFXIV is firmly aligning with that timeline, many MMO veterans and newcomers alike will need to reconsider their system setup if they want to stay compatible with the latest content updates, especially with the launch of the Dawntrail expansion.
If you’re one of the many fans still grinding through Eorzea on an outdated rig, fair warning: the game won’t break come October, but there’ll be no security updates, technical support, or troubleshooting for Windows 10 machines. For a live-service title like this one, that’s a risky proposition. You’ll still be able to play—just at your own peril.
Why Final Fantasy XIV PC Requirements Are Changing
It’s no secret that Final Fantasy XIV’s system requirements have gradually climbed over the years. With the recent arrival of the Dawntrail expansion on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Square Enix is clearly pushing the game further with modern graphical updates, better performance layers, and quality-of-life features. Windows 10 staying on would just slow the whole train down.
According to the FFXIV team, this decision is all about optimisation: by no longer having to support the older OS, they’re free to devote development resources solely to newer systems that are capable of keeping up with the game’s roadmap. This means more flexibility with DirectX versions, hardware acceleration, and post-processing improvements, things that are either limited or non-functional on ageing Windows 10 setups.
And of course, there’s the developer overhead. Ensuring compatibility across outdated operating systems means extra cost and more headaches. Square Enix isn’t alone here; other online games like Destiny 2 and Apex Legends have followed similar paths, cutting ties with Windows 10 once Microsoft announced the OS’s end-of-life cycle.
On top of that, the timing couldn’t be more strategic. The PC gaming community is already prepping for a broader shift towards Windows 11 and even the early offerings of Windows 12. If you’re playing on a gaming laptop or desktop built pre-2020, now’s the time to ask: Is your gear still future-proof?
It’s also a nice excuse for a spec refresh, especially as more Xbox and PC cross-play rollouts for FFXIV become standard. With full access across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, platform parity is more important than ever. Nobody wants to be the one player in Duty Finder dragging down performance because of legacy compatibility issues.
What Players Should Do Now
If you’ve been ignoring those increasingly annoying Windows 11 updates, glove slap your upgrade cycle into reality. Most machines from the past half-decade are already eligible for a free bump up to Windows 11. And with FFXIV’s continued success, sitting on a deprecated OS isn’t just risky, it’s unnecessary. We’ve moved past min-spec mindset in 2025, especially for long-running titles like this one.
And yes, the team confirmed you can continue to play FFXIV past October on Windows 10… but don’t expect any help if something breaks. No launcher updates, no anti-cheat fixes, no support if your graphics drivers start ghosting you. That’s a solo queue no one wants.
So what’s the real takeaway here? Final Fantasy XIV’s end of support for Windows 10 isn’t just about Microsoft’s policy; it’s about streamlining the future of the MMO itself. Whether you’re there for glamour hunting, crafting spreadsheets, or savage raid-level mechanics, Square Enix is future-facing. And Windows 10 just didn’t make the cut.
Keep in mind, this isn’t the game abandoning systems without cause. It’s the sign of a live service model evolving in real time, and one that wants to prioritise smoother updates, better security, and faster rendering for all future patches and expansions. No one’s forcing your hand, but come October 2025, you might wish you’d upgraded sooner. So, back up those characters, sync your macros, and say farewell to Windows 10 with a dance emote in Limsa. The realm will go on, just not with legacy support behind it.
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