Square Enix is giving Final Fantasy XIV fans a small but nice bonus during the 2026 US Fan Festival: selected chapters from two FFXIV manga series are now free to read on Manga Up.
The promo covers Final Fantasy XIV: Eorzea Academy and Saki & FFXIV, with the free chapters available through both the browser version on the official Manga Up site and the app. The best part for casual readers? You do not need to create an account just to check them out.
For Malaysian and SEA fans, this is the kind of side content that is easy to miss if you only follow the game itself. Fan Fest news usually focuses on big reveals, live events, and major MMO updates, but these manga promos are actually a low-commitment way to enjoy the world of FFXIV without logging into the game or committing to a subscription session. Good lunch break reading, basically.
What Is FFXIV: Eorzea Academy?
Final Fantasy XIV: Eorzea Academy takes familiar FFXIV heroes and villains and drops them into an alternate-universe school setting. Instead of world-ending drama, raids, and political tension, this one goes for a lighter slice-of-life vibe.
Characters who would normally be clashing in Eorzea are reimagined as students and teachers, with the tone built around low-stakes school-life stories rather than combat or heavy conflict. If you like seeing serious fantasy characters put into silly everyday situations, this is probably the easier of the two manga to jump into.
As part of the Manga Up promotion, chapters 1.1 through 4.1 of FFXIV: Eorzea Academy are free to read. A physical copy of the manga is also available separately.
What Is Saki & FFXIV?
The second title, Saki & FFXIV, goes in a more grounded direction. It follows a high school student named Saki and her friends, who are members of their school’s mahjong club. The story then connects their real-life club activities with the MMORPG, as the group starts playing Final Fantasy XIV together for more adventures inside the game.
That setup feels especially relatable for SEA players because so many MMO friendships here begin the same way: one friend recommends the game, the whole group slowly joins, and suddenly everyone is planning nightly sessions after class, work, or mamak. The manga angle is different, but the squad energy is very familiar.
For this promotion, chapters 0 through 8.2 of Saki & FFXIV are free on Manga Up. A digital ebook version is also available separately.
How Long Are the Free Chapters Available?
The extra free chapters for both FFXIV manga series will remain available until April 26, 2026, which is also when the US Fan Festival event wraps up.
Final Fantasy XIV itself is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. Even if you are not actively playing right now, this free manga window is a simple way to reconnect with the franchise’s world and characters without needing to grind, resubscribe, or gather the static.
Source: Siliconera