Square Enix has confirmed a loading time problem in the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV Online and says a patch is already in testing to address it.
The MMORPG launched on Nintendo Switch 2 this past Tuesday, marking the first time the game has ever been playable on a Nintendo platform. Player reception has been broadly positive, but one issue surfaced quickly: in certain situations, loading screens stretch out far longer than they should.
What's actually causing the slowdown
Square Enix has been specific about where the problem shows up. The extended waits happen inside instanced duties, and the studio has outlined three scenarios players are running into:
- Screen fades to black during a battle phase transition or when teleporting to a different map within an instanced duty
- Screen fades to black after being K.O.'d and reviving inside an instanced duty
- Screen fades to black when using Return or a shortcut while inside an instanced duty
The key here is the root cause the studio identified: when a player enters an instanced duty while surrounded by a large number of other characters, the game takes longer than expected to load the required data. That extended load time then persists for the entire duration of the instance.
More specifically, Square Enix traced the problem to data reloading and cache clearing processes that are taking too long under those crowded conditions. The studio says those processes have now been optimized for faster data loading, and the updated build is currently in testing.
The fix is coming, but no release date yet
The official statement from Square Enix reads: "We have identified certain cases in which the data reloading and cache clearing processes required for safe rendering are taking an extended amount of time. As such, these processes have been optimized to ensure faster data loading even under similar conditions, and the updated version is currently in testing."
The studio is aiming to release the update "as soon as possible" alongside fixes for several other unspecified issues. No specific release window has been given beyond that.
What Switch 2 players are actually getting
The loading issue aside, the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV Online ships with the same content structure as every other platform. The Free Trial alone weighs in at around 117 GB and covers the entirety of A Realm Reborn plus the first three expansions: Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers, all without a subscription.
The Free Trial does carry the standard restrictions: limited interaction with other players, a level 80 cap instead of 100, and a currency hold limit. For anyone wanting the full experience including the Endwalker and Dawntrail expansions, the Starter Edition and Complete Edition are both available.
This is a day-one hiccup on a brand new platform, and Square Enix has moved quickly to acknowledge it and get a fix into testing. For players diving into the game's massive content library right now, the FFXIV Patch 7.4 Into the Mist content guide breaks down everything added in the most recent major update, including new raids, dungeons, and job changes, so there's plenty to work through while waiting for the load time fix to land. You can also find the full Final Fantasy XIV Online guide collection to get up to speed on everything from variant dungeons to the glamour overhaul.
