Final Fantasy 14 has arrived on Nintendo Switch 2, following a one-month early-access period on the new console. The launch has generally gone smoothly, but players have reported unusually long loading times. Square Enix says it is already preparing a solution.
Long black screens affect instanced duties
Reports appeared within hours of the Switch 2 release. One post on Reddit described an almost 20-second black screen when the player was being revived during eight-player content, including trials and normal raids.
That delay can be particularly damaging in challenging encounters. Trials and normal raids may include enrage timers, which wipe the entire party when a duty has not been completed within its time limit. A lengthy loading interruption during one of these fights can therefore have consequences beyond simple inconvenience.
What appears to trigger the problem?
Square Enix says the issue is concentrated in instanced duties and occurs when a player enters one while surrounded by a large number of other characters. Players commonly queue in busy locations such as Aetheryte plazas, meaning the problem could affect a significant number of groups.
The effect also continues once it begins, lasting until the relevant duty has ended. That makes the issue especially disruptive for players already inside a trial, raid or another instanced activity.
Square Enix is testing an update
The developer has identified data reloading and cache clearing as possible causes. Its planned fix will optimise those processes to reduce loading times, and an updated version containing the changes is currently being tested.
Square Enix intends to release the update as soon as possible. Players can follow the official post on Final Fantasy 14’s Lodestone for further information.
Until the fix is available, players may be able to reduce the chance of encountering the problem by joining duties from quieter, less crowded areas rather than busy hubs.
A familiar lesson for gaming hardware
Load-time problems are a reminder that new hardware launches can involve software issues as well as performance improvements. For more gaming news, visit RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog, or browse the site’s arcade videos for coverage from the wider industry.
Readers planning a dedicated gaming setup can also use the arcade machine buying guide to compare the practical considerations involved in choosing a cabinet.
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