Square-Enix is flippin’ on the hype machine for this year’s Fan Festival in Las Vegas, which’ll mark not just the first event for the Final Fantasy franchise in two years but also the first in-person event since the COVID pandemic began. The company says it hopes to “host [its] largest audience ever” in the “spacious Las Vegas Convention Center” – an upgrade over the “hotel ballrooms of previous shows.” The actual event will take place on July 28th and 29th.
In addition to battle challenges and contests, attendees can expect concerts, dev panels, and the requisite keynote from Yoshi-P, but don’t worry: The whole show will be streamed for those who don’t want to make the trek to Vegas and pony up $199 US for the event.
While Square says its aim is to host as many people as want to come, it’s clearly preparing for an onslaught, as it’s running a lottery for tickets with priority given to active Final Fantasy XIV subs. Registration for that lottery is live now and runs through February 25th; if you’re selected, you’ll be contacted by March 3rd to buy up to two tickets (or opt out at that point). After March 13th, leftover tickets will be offered to the public.
The presale lottery runs through Showclix, and as I type this, there’s a brief queue just to sign up.
Readers will recall that many in-person gaming events, including PAX, have relatively strict requirements for COVID protections, but according to Square’s FAQ, vaccinations and masks are merely “recommended” rather than required for the Fan Festival.
We're pleased to announce the #FFXIV Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas ticket details! 🌐 https://t.co/iCGzEJQkuW
We're excited to be hosting in-person events again and invite our Warriors of Light to celebrate the North American Fan Festival with us this July! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/LnuabJvwhZ
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) February 17, 2023
