There's One Good Reason You May Want To Buy FFXIV Items Before Dawntrail Releases (2024)

Final Fantasy 14 players should buy everything they want from the online store, the Mog Station, and subscription marketplace now, since prices are due to go up prior to the release of the new Dawntrail expansion. Dawntrail is FFXIV's fifth major expansion, bringing new jobs, quests, and story chapters to the expansive MMO. Following the smash hit Endwalker, Dawntrail has been highly anticipated since its reveal at last year's FFXIV Fan Festival. However, some less exciting changes may be coming to FFXIV just before its July release.

In a news post on the official FFXIV website, Square Enix has announced that prices for all real currency transactions pertaining to FFXIV will be subject to local/state sales tax beginning on June 25, 2024. This change applies to both the FFXIV Online Store, which is mostly used for purchasing cosmetics, and Mog Station, which handles subscriptions. These changes are exclusive to North America. Of course, sales taxes are different from state to state and province to province, so different players will be affected by different amounts. However, the changes mean higher prices for everyone throughout Canada, the US, and Mexico, and compound some other recent issues with FFXIV purchases.

Why FFXIV's Prices Are Increasing

FFXIV's Sales Taxes Increase Explained

Ultimately, FFXIV's across-the-board price increases are based on changes in how sales tax is collected on digital goods. Sales taxes predate the existence of online games, and much legislature around them specifically references their applicability only to tangible goods. However, with the advent of the digital age, tangibility is less of a factor in many sales transactions. As a result, many national and local governments have levied sales taxes on digital goods in recent years. But of course, the amount of sales tax FFXIV players will pay - and whether they'll pay at all - varies by country and region.

But for those who are affected, they'll pay an additional fee on every transaction. In the US state of Louisiana, which has the highest sales tax rate in the country, it'll mean paying 9.56% more. That's an additional $7.45 USD per 180-day subscription, for a total of $85.39. Players based in Mexico will have to pay a 16% sales tax, the equivalent of $12.47. These may seem like small charges, but over time, they add up. On average, affected players can expect to pay between $10 and $25 extra per year on their FFXIV subscriptions.

What FFXIV Players Should Buy Before Prices Increase

Mog Station & FFXIV Online Store Transactions Will Be More Expensive

So, what's a Warrior of Light to do if they find themselves caught within this sales tax AoE? Again, the changes affect everything sold on Mog Station (subscriptions and in-game services) and the online store (cosmetics). If there's a minion, emote, costume, or XP boost a player's had their eye on, buying it before June 25 can help them avoid higher prices. And yes, sales tax applies to appearance-altering Fantasias, too. If they've been considering renaming their character, transferring home worlds, or upgrading to the Digital Collector's Edition, they'll get a better price now as well.

The new sales tax policies also apply to FFXIV subscriptions, which can be a harder problem to get around. Since subscription renewals are timed to their expiration dates, if a player currently has a subscription due to run out before June 25, their next auto-renewal may come at a higher price. However, this issue can be circumvented by purchasing Game Time Cards. Up to three of those can be redeemed at once, as long as the player doesn't exceed the 360-day subscription maximum.

Ultimately, there's no way for players who live in the affected area to get around FFXIV's price increases. But by buying ahead, they can stave off its effects - at least until their next subscription renewals. With changes in sales tax policies worldwide, these price increases were always inevitable. The only shame is that they come so close to the release of Final Fantasy 14's next expansion.

Sources: FFXIV, Avalara, Tax Foundation