Updated October 20, 2026: English-language reviews went live at 13:00 UTC today. Final Fantasy Resonance has an 85 Metascore on PS5 and an 85 Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, though VGC and Polygon are less impressed. We added a reviews roundup with scores and verdicts.
Final Fantasy Resonance comes out on Thursday, October 22, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and PC. The standard edition is $49.99, the Digital Deluxe Edition is $59.99, and a $209.99 Collector’s Edition is sold through the Square Enix Store. On the US PlayStation and Xbox stores the Final Fantasy Resonance release date has a time attached: 04:00 UTC on October 22. That is midnight Eastern, or 9 PM Pacific on Wednesday, October 21.
Square Enix and co-developer Lancarse call it the first Final Fantasy made in the HD-2D pixel-art style. It is based on the first story arc of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, rebuilt as a full console RPG rather than ported. It was No. 25 on Steam’s US top sellers from pre-orders on October 19 (13:30 UTC).
Battles show the next turns of allies and enemies on a timeline at the top of the screen. Image: Square Enix
Table of Contents
Final Fantasy Resonance release date and time by platform
| Platform | Store listing | Standard / Deluxe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | Oct 22, 04:00 UTC | $49.99 / $59.99 | Digital or physical |
| Xbox Series X|S and PC (Xbox app) | Oct 22, 04:00 UTC | $49.99 / $59.99 | Microsoft Store listing shows Xbox Play Anywhere |
| PC (Steam) | Oct 22, no time listed | $49.99 / $59.99 | Windows 11, GTX 1650 minimum, 15 GB |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Oct 22, no time listed | $49.99 / $59.99 | About 12.8 GB download |
| Nintendo Switch | Oct 22, no time listed | $49.99 / $59.99 | About 9.2 GB download |
Times are from the US PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store listings; other regions may unlock at local midnight. UK prices are £49.99 and £54.99, and European prices €59.99 and €69.99, per Square Enix’s announcement. There is no PS4 or Xbox One version, and Square Enix’s US retailer list shows physical copies only for PS5, Switch 2 and Switch.
Final Fantasy Resonance reviews: Metacritic and OpenCritic scores
Reviews went live on October 20 at 13:00 UTC, two days before launch, and the early consensus is positive with a few notable dissenters. On Metacritic, the PS5 version has a Metascore of 85 from 32 critic reviews, the Switch 2 version 83 from 25 and the PC version 89 from 9. Switch and Xbox Series X|S scores were still pending. OpenCritic, which pools all platforms, shows an 85 Top Critic Average from 48 critic reviews, with 89% of critics recommending the game. Both were checked on October 20, 2026, at 13:55 UTC, and will shift as more reviews arrive.
| Outlet | Score | Verdict in brief |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation LifeStyle (PS5) | 9/10 | The turn-based battle system keeps it engaging from start to finish |
| Nintendo Life (Switch 2) | 8/10 | “A strong return to an older style of Final Fantasy,” running at 60fps on Switch 2; the story is “kind of so-so” |
| VGC | 3/5 | “A nostalgic JRPG limited by its mobile origins”; fun, but not essential next to the Pixel Remasters and other HD-2D games |
| Polygon | Unscored | “A missed opportunity for Square Enix,” big on nostalgia and little else |
| The Verge | Unscored | Positive: a trip back to the SNES golden era with modern improvements, based on about 10 hours of play |
| Famitsu (Japan, October 14) | 36/40 | 9/9/9/9 from four reviewers |
The pattern across reviews is consistent. Critics praise the turn-based combat, the Visions system and the HD-2D presentation. The story and the limits of the game’s Brave Exvius mobile roots draw most of the criticism. VGC’s Dave Aubrey argues that the game “doesn’t have to do anything new to be a good game, but something fresh could’ve made it a great one.” The Verge’s Jay Peters, writing after about 10 hours, calls the story standard fare so far but says it moves along breezily.
Editions, pre-order bonus and Collector’s Edition
- Standard ($49.99): the game.
- Digital Deluxe ($59.99): the game plus the Magitek & Grimoire Deluxe Pack. It includes a Magitek Armor Key that turns your chocobo into magitek armor and the Archwitch’s Grimoire, which unlocks one character’s Fel Meteor Limit Burst. It adds a Mastery Ring and starter consumables. On the US eShop the pack is also sold separately as a $14.99 Digital Deluxe Upgrade.
- Pre-order bonus: the Magitek Airship & Squire Starter Pack, with a magitek look for your airship, a Knight’s Greatsword, an EXP-boosting Chestplate of Preparation, a Magicite Shard and consumables. It is for pre-orders only.
- Early purchase bonus: the Squire Kickstart Pack (a Blessed Cuirass that raises gil earned, plus a Mist Ether). The deadline differs by store: November 5 at 11:59 PM PT on the US eShop, and November 6 at 8:59 AM PT on Steam.
- Collector’s Edition ($209.99): for PS5, Switch 2 and Switch on the Square Enix Store. It bundles the physical game, a Digital Deluxe upgrade code, an acrylic block set, a 120-page pixel art book, a four-CD, 120-track soundtrack and a Final Fantasy Trading Card Game promo card.
Switch or Switch 2: which version to buy
The US eShop sells Switch 2 and Switch as two separate products at the same price. The fine print matters: the listing says there are no plans to sell an upgrade pack from the Switch version to the Switch 2 version, and saves can’t be moved between them in either direction. Switch 2 owners should buy the Switch 2 version. Our list of new Switch 2 games this week compares it with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and the other October 22 launches.
How long is Final Fantasy Resonance?
The two estimates differ. Square Enix said on social media that the main story takes at least 30 hours and possibly up to 40, not counting optional content such as the Secret Dungeons, Siliconera reported. Famitsu’s review put the main story at about 20 to 30 hours and everything at around 70. Famitsu scored the game 9/9/9/9, a total of 36 out of 40, Nintendo Life reported. English-language reviews followed on October 20 (see the roundup above).
Rain and his party set out. The free demo covers the opening through Chapter 1. Image: Square Enix
Is there a demo?
Yes. A free demo has been out since September on every platform. It covers the opening through the end of Chapter 1, which Square Enix puts at about 3 to 5 hours, and your save carries over to the full game. Square Enix has also confirmed Sephiroth as an optional fight with a special reward, and Cloud, Tidus and the Warrior of Light among the series heroes who join as Visions. The ESRB rating is E10+, and the game has English and Japanese voice acting.
What’s next
Launch is October 22, or the evening of October 21 on the US West Coast. English-language reviews are in, with an 85 Metascore on PS5 at the time of writing; we’ll keep the scores above current through launch week. Planning the week? See our roundup of new games out October 19-23 on every platform, the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports list and price, or our older guide on what to know before buying Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth if you’d rather play Sephiroth’s original story.
Sources: Square Enix (Final Fantasy Portal), official site, Square Enix Store, Steam, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Nintendo eShop, Gematsu, Siliconera, Nintendo Life, Metacritic, OpenCritic, VGC, Polygon, The Verge, Nintendo Life review, PlayStation LifeStyle. Prices and listings checked October 19, 2026, 13:30 UTC; review scores checked October 20, 2026, 13:55 UTC.
Live: Follow today’s gaming news as it happens
Featured image: Square Enix
[…] a natural next stop for RPG fans after this week’s other big Switch 2 role-playing launch, Final Fantasy Resonance. The series’ newest entry, Ys X: Proud Nordics, is already on the Switch 2 eShop at […]
[…] already control the email address on your account. For more Square Enix news, see our guide to the Final Fantasy Resonance release date, price and editions. Earlier gaming security incidents include the 780 GB data theft at Electronic Arts and the Apex […]