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Preorders for Final Fantasy XIV’s new expansion pack, Evercold, opened at 6:00 p.m. on November 4, 2026. It launches February 23, 2027, with the Steam version arriving a day later on February 24, and preordering gets you into early access starting around 6:00 p.m. on February 19. Pricing runs $32 for the standard digital edition, $45 for the Collector’s Edition, and $218 for the special boxed set that comes bundled with physical goods.
Day one did not go smoothly, though. The Square Enix e-STORE discovered a fault that prevented the preorder bonus codes distributed after checkout from being issued correctly to some buyers, and it suspended preorders during the day on November 4. Sales resumed around 5:07 p.m. the following day, November 5, and affected customers were contacted individually at their registered email addresses. Other storefronts, including the Mog Station and the PS Store, never went down.
The preorder bonuses are the same everywhere: the Wind-up Cottle minion, the Halone Earring accessory that boosts combat EXP by 30% up through level 100, and early access. The deadline to register bonus codes is 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2027, and early access requires having cleared a specific quest in Dawntrail.
This article lays out the differences between the four editions, the preorder bonuses and the extras unique to each storefront, and how the suspension played out. The release date and new job details are covered in our November 2 article, so read that one alongside this. For the record, I’ve locked in the $45 Collector’s Edition. I want to ride Valhalla Odin. That’s the whole reason.
- Prices and contents for all four editions: $32 standard, $45 Collector’s, $218 special boxed set, $173 goods-only box
- Preorder bonuses are the Wind-up Cottle minion and the Halone Earring. Early access starts around 6:00 p.m. on February 19
- Why e-STORE preorders went dark for a day: a bonus code issuing fault and the November 5 restart
- Where should you preorder? Store-by-store extras and the catch with the Steam version
First things first: decide what you’re buying.
*Prices in this article are converted from Japanese yen at ¥153 = US$1 (November 2026 rate).
How much does Evercold cost? Four editions from $32 to $218
Image: PlayStation Store ©SQUARE ENIX
There are four editions in total. Three of them include the game itself; the Special Edition Collector’s Box is a goods-only package with no software. All prices include tax and match what the Square Enix e-STORE lists.
| Edition | Price (tax included) | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition (digital) | $32 | The expansion pack itself |
| Collector’s Edition (digital) | $45 | The expansion, the Valhalla Odin mount, the Wish Upon a Crystal emote, and the Crystal Magic Armor weapon |
| Collector’s Edition Special Boxed Set (Windows/Mac) | $218 | All of the above plus a special art box, a Reaper figure, an Ethos metal keychain, a hook-equipped Cottle plush, and a Fourth World tapestry |
| Special Edition Collector’s Box (no software) | $173 | Physical goods only. No game, no preorder bonuses, no retailer bonuses |
The Collector’s Edition weapon, Crystal Magic Armor, is exclusive to the new tank job Bastion. If you don’t play tank, the package effectively boils down to a mount and an emote. The special boxed set is Windows and Mac only, so anyone playing on PS5 or Switch 2 who wants the merch has to buy the $173 goods-only box separately.
Supported platforms are PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Windows, Mac and Steam. The PS Store’s Collector’s Edition also bundles access to Endwalker and Dawntrail, at the same $45 price.
What do you get for preordering? The Wind-up Cottle minion, the Halone Earring, and February 19 early access
There are three preorder bonuses, and they’re identical no matter which edition or storefront you choose.
- The Wind-up Cottle minion, modeled on the Cottle race debuting in Evercold
- The Halone Earring accessory, equippable from level 1 to 100, which boosts combat EXP by 30%
- Early access, letting you in from around 6:00 p.m. on February 19, 2027, four days ahead of the February 23 launch
Two things to watch. Preorder bonus codes must be registered by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2027, and once that passes the rewards are gone. The other is that joining early access requires having played Dawntrail and cleared a specific quest in it. If you haven’t finished the Dawntrail main scenario, get moving before February or early access won’t do you any good.
The 30% EXP earring matters most to anyone planning to level alt jobs. Dawntrail offered the same style of EXP bonus, and this time the effect covers everything up to level 100, so it’s useful prep before you hit 8.0’s level bracket.
Why did e-STORE preorders stop? A bonus code fault on November 4, back up at 5:07 p.m. on the 5th
On November 4, the day preorders opened, the Square Enix e-STORE suspended sales. The reason was a confirmed fault in which the preorder bonus codes distributed after checkout were not being issued correctly to some buyers.
We have confirmed a fault in which the “preorder bonus code” distributed after order completion was not issued correctly to some customers, and preorders are currently suspended. We are investigating the cause and the scope of the impact, and affected customers will be contacted individually about next steps as soon as we have confirmed the situation.
Source:Square Enix e-STORE
Preorders came back around 5:07 p.m. the next day, November 5. Affected customers have been contacted individually at the email address registered to the Square Enix account used for the order. If you preordered through the e-STORE on the night of November 4, check your inbox.
Only the e-STORE went down; the Mog Station, the PS Store and other storefronts kept taking orders as normal. Neither the February 23, 2027 launch date nor the February 19 early access date has changed. Losing a full day on launch day isn’t a great look, but coming back the next afternoon and reaching out to affected buyers one by one was fast work. Far better than being left in the dark.
Where should you preorder? Store-by-store extras and the catch with the Steam version
The three preorder bonuses are the same everywhere, but each storefront piles on its own extras, so pick based on your setup.
| Storefront | Extra bonuses and notes |
|---|---|
| Square Enix e-STORE (Windows/Mac) | Original wallpapers (PC and smartphone) plus a $2 coupon usable on FFXIV merchandise (valid until midnight on April 1, 2027) |
| PS Store (PS5/PS4) | A PlayStation Network avatar. The Collector’s Edition also includes access to Endwalker and Dawntrail |
| Steam | Preorders opened November 5. Launches a day later than everyone else, on February 24, 2027 |
Keep in mind that the Steam version’s launch date is listed as February 24. You still need a preorder to play from February 19 via early access, which is the same deal as every other storefront. The Switch 2 and Xbox versions are taking orders through their respective stores.
If you want the special boxed set, the e-STORE is your only option. $218 is by no means cheap, but expansions that come with a figure-bundled limited edition are not exactly common. Square Enix is clearly pushing hard on this as a commemorative release, timed to the game passing 35 million total registered accounts.
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Final thoughts: Evercold preorders are back up, launching February 23, 2027 with early access on the 19th
Preorders for Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold opened at 6:00 p.m. on November 4, 2026, were briefly suspended on the Square Enix e-STORE over a bonus code issuing fault, and resumed around 5:07 p.m. on November 5. The expansion launches February 23, 2027 (February 24 on Steam), with early access from around 6:00 p.m. on February 19. Pricing is $32 for the standard edition, $45 for the Collector’s Edition, $218 for the special boxed set and $173 for the goods-only box. The three preorder bonuses are the Wind-up Cottle minion, the Halone Earring with its 30% combat EXP boost, and early access, with codes needing to be registered by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2027.
The gap between editions comes down to one question: will you pay $13 for a mount and an emote? The weapon is Bastion-only, so for anyone who isn’t tanking it’s decoration. The special boxed set’s $218 is just the $173 of merch stacked on top, so decide based on whether you want the figure. The day-one preorder suspension costs them points, but restarting the next afternoon and personally contacting affected buyers was a quick turnaround.
When in doubt, take the $45 Collector’s Edition. Just watch out for one thing starting now: if your Dawntrail quests aren’t done by February 19, you’re locked out of early access.
Featured and in-article images are from the official PlayStation Store page. ©SQUARE ENIX
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