In 2019, Microsoft promised that it would bring Final Fantasy games to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, and it certainly kept its word. A number of Final Fantasy games have been added to Xbox Game Pass since that initial announcement, and while some have already been removed, four major titles still remain. And the way that Xbox Game Pass cycles titles in and out of its lineup, it's always possible that the removed FF games will make a return one day.
In the meantime, Xbox Game Pass subscribers may be wondering which Final Fantasy titles are currently available for them to play with their subscription. As it stands, four main series Final Fantasy games are still available to play through Xbox Game Pass at the time of this writing, including some of the most critically-acclaimed FF games to date. Final Fantasy 7, 9, and 15 may be gone from Xbox Game Pass, but these games remain with no removal date announced so far.
Here are the four Final Fantasy games that are available to play with Xbox Game Pass as of September 2021.
Final Fantasy 8 Remastered
There once was a time when all three of the PS1-era Final Fantasy games were on Xbox Game pass, but as previously mentioned, FF7 and FF9 have since been removed. It's possible that Final Fantasy 8 Remastered will be making its departure from Xbox Game Pass in the near future as well, though no specifics have been announced at the time of this writing. Since FF8 could very well be joining Final Fantasy 7 and 9 by leaving Game Pass soon, fans should make it a point to check it out while they still can.
Instead of a straight port of the original PS1 game, Final Fantasy 8 Remastered includes visual and performance enhancements, making it the best-looking version of the game by a significant margin. Not only that, but there are various gameplay modifiers that allow players to tailor the Final Fantasy 8 experience to their liking. This includes options to speed-up the gameplay, making the relatively slow-paced turn-based battles much more tolerable than they were in the past.
Final Fantasy 8 is a somewhat divisive entry in the franchise, but it still earned critical acclaim and certainly has its fair share of dedicated fans. It will leave Xbox Game Pass eventually, but for now subscribers can play through it in its entirety.
Final Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remaster
While this counts as one Final Fantasy game, it's technically a collection of two PS2-era titles that have been remastered for modern platforms. This collection brings Final Fantasy 10 and Final Fantasy 10-2 together, with some graphical tweaks to make sure that the games look better on newer TVs, though the gameplay is mostly unchanged. Final Fantasy 10 and 10-2 still hold up, though, and so the games weren't really in need of much changing.
Final Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remaster promises over 100 hours of gameplay between the two games, and so it's easily one of the meatier titles on Xbox Game Pass at the time of this writing. Its eventual removal will be a big blow for Final Fantasy fans, but there should be plenty of time to experience the game before it's given the boot.
Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy 12 served as a serious departure from Final Fantasy series norms when it first released, introducing an innovative combat system as opposed to the usual turn-based battles that fans were used to at the time. It still earned widespread critical acclaim, and The Zodiac Age version makes a great game that much better. Like the other Final Fantasy remasters Square Enix has put out, The Zodiac Age has an enhanced presentation, offering better graphics and sound, while also bringing some gameplay enhancements to the table as well. This is definitely the definitive way to experience the expansive adventure that is Final Fantasy 12, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers can see it all with their subscription.
Final Fantasy 13
Final Fantasy 13 is one of the lowest-rated main series Final Fantasy games, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have anything to offer. Final Fantasy 13's graphics are still breathtaking to this day, and while it takes awhile to get going, it really opens up in the second half. It will be interesting to see if there's enough interest in Final Fantasy 13's story for the other games in the series to make it to Xbox Game Pass one day, but for now, fans can make their way through Lightning's original adventure.
Final Fantasy Games on PlayStation Now
This is just speculation at this time, but it's possible that the Final Fantasy games that have been removed from Xbox Game Pass is due to a new deal that Square Enix has signed to bring the games to Sony's competing PlayStation Now service. Each month from now until January, a Final Fantasy game is getting added to PlayStation Now, starting with Final Fantasy 7 this month and ending with Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age in January. So while Xbox Game Pass subscribers may be out of luck when it comes to some of these classic Final Fantasy titles, they are still going to be readily available on a subscription service that would be cheaper to pay for than buying the games outright.