Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold early access starts on Friday, February 19, 2027, around 1:00 a.m. PST (4:00 a.m. EST), for players who pre-order. The full release follows four days later, on Tuesday, February 23, 2027.
Square Enix announced both dates on October 31, 2026, and opened pre-orders on November 4. Below is the start time in every major time zone, which editions get you in early, what Square Enix says you need to have done first, and how to use the months until then. Every detail comes from the Lodestone announcement and the official Evercold product page, as of November 5, 2026.
Evercold Early Access Start Time in Every Time Zone
Square Enix gives the start as “around 1:00 a.m. (PST)” on February 19. North America is on standard time then, so here is what that works out to:
| Region | Time zone | Early access starts |
|---|---|---|
| US West Coast | PST | 1:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| US Mountain | MST | 2:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| US Central | CST | 3:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| US East Coast | EST | 4:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| Brazil (Brasília) | BRT | 6:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| UK and Ireland | GMT | 9:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| Central Europe | CET | 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 19 |
| India | IST | 2:30 p.m., Friday, February 19 |
| Japan | JST | 6:00 p.m., Friday, February 19 |
| Eastern Australia (Sydney) | AEDT | 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 19 |
“Around” is Square Enix’s own word, so treat the time as approximate. The start is the same moment worldwide; only the local clock time changes.
Who Gets Early Access
Early access is a pre-order bonus. Square Enix ties it to three products:
- Standard Edition ($44.99)
- Digital Collector’s Edition ($64.99)
- Collector’s Bundle ($319.99, Square Enix Store only)
The Collector’s Box sold on its own does not count: Square Enix says it “does not include a copy of Evercold, in-game items, or pre-order bonuses.” Pre-orders count from every participating store, which on Evercold’s product page means the Mog Station, the Square Enix Store, Steam, the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store and the Nintendo eShop. Our pre-order bonus guide walks through how each store registers your pre-order, and our guide to which edition to buy compares the prices.
What You Need Before Early Access
A pre-order on its own is not quite enough. The product page says that to play Evercold content during early access, you must have registered Dawntrail to your service account and have “completed certain quests.” Square Enix has not named those quests as of November 5, 2026.
If you are behind on the main scenario, catching up before February is the safest plan. You also need a full copy of Final Fantasy XIV (not the free trial) and an active subscription, since Evercold “cannot be played on its own.”
When the Full Launch Is
Evercold’s official release is Tuesday, February 23, 2027, four days after early access opens. Square Enix has not given a launch hour for that day as of November 5, 2026; early access players simply carry on, and everyone else can start once the expansion releases.
Some things arrive on the early access date whether or not you play that day:
- Collector’s Edition items (the Valhallar Odin mount, Entreat Crystal emote and Crystal Skyltborg) are sent by moogle letter “once early access begins.”
- PlayStation avatars, the PlayStation Store pre-order extra, are delivered “at the start of early access.”
The other two pre-order bonuses, the Wind-up Köttr minion and Halone’s Earring, are already yours as soon as your pre-order is registered. Our Collector’s Edition guide lists everything in each collector’s version.
How to Get Ready Before February 19
- Wear Halone’s Earring while you level. It adds 30% to EXP from defeating enemies from level 1 through 100, and Square Enix pitches it as “perfect for leveling your jobs to 100” before the cap rises to 110. It only works for Disciples of War and Magic.
- Finish the current main scenario, since Square Enix requires certain quests to be done before you can enter Evercold’s content.
- Pick your first job. Evercold adds the bastion tank and the zephyr ranged DPS, and Square Enix’s Evercold site says both can only be played in the new Evolved Mode.
- Pre-order on the platform you play on, so the bonus lands on the right service account.
For the full announcement, see our Evercold pre-order story. Every Final Fantasy guide we have lives on our Final Fantasy hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Evercold early access start? Friday, February 19, 2027, around 1:00 a.m. PST, which is 4:00 a.m. EST and 9:00 a.m. GMT.
When does Evercold release? Tuesday, February 23, 2027, four days after early access begins.
How many days of early access does Evercold have? Four. Early access opens on February 19 and the full release is on February 23.
Do you need the Collector’s Edition for early access? No. Pre-ordering the Standard Edition also gets early access. Only the Collector’s Box sold on its own leaves it out.
Do you need to finish Dawntrail before early access? Square Enix says you need Dawntrail registered and “certain quests” completed to play Evercold content in early access. It has not named the quests yet.
Has Square Enix announced a launch time for February 23? Not as of November 5, 2026. Only the early access time has been given.