Demo and Save Transfer

0:00 The Final Fantasy Resonance demo is free on every platform and covers the prologue and the whole of Chapter 1, about 3 to 5 hours by Square Enix's estimate, and its save carries over to the full game (Square Enix, Sep 3, 2026). GamerFuzion's guide to the demo opens on the same points, adding that one of its viewers spent closer to 10 hours clearing everything in it. It came out on Sep 3, 2026, during Sony's State of Play, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and Xbox on PC (Square Enix, Sep 9, 2026), and it is still available after launch. Characters stop at level 15 and Visions at Mastery Rank 5 (FinalBoss, Oct 16, 2026), and the save goes only to the full game on the same platform: Switch and Switch 2 saves do not cross (Nintendo, read Oct 24, 2026).

Quick facts

Sources: Square Enix on Steam (Sep 3, 2026), Square Enix (Sep 3, 2026), FinalBoss (Oct 16, 2026), Nintendo (read Oct 24, 2026), GamerFuzion (Oct 9, 2026), RPG Site (Oct 22, 2026).

What the demo covers

0:40 The demo is the opening of the full game, unchanged: Steam's page says the entire first chapter can be explored "exactly as it appears in the full version" (Steam, read Oct 24, 2026). Square Enix's Demo Trailer runs through it, from a report that "the magic barrier surrounding the Earth Shrine has been compromised" to Lasswell saying they are looking for a ship to take them to Dirnado, which is where the demo stops. After the prologue, Chapter 1 takes Rain and Lasswell from Grandshelt Castle to the Earth Shrine, then across the world map to Mitra, Grandport Harbor, the Village of Kol, Felicitas, the Kolobos Ruins and Siren's Tower, with the optional Marauder Cave on the side (RPG Site, Oct 22, 2026). Fina joins, the chocobo becomes available in Kol, and Siren becomes the first Esper (PowerPyx, Oct 21, 2026). The Chapter 1 Walkthrough covers it step by step.

7:14 The demo ends when the party boards the ship at Grandport: the game asks you to save and returns to the title screen, and GamerFuzion reports that a viewer who reloaded that save found himself back before the ship, so nothing is locked away. Its closing screen, shown in the same video, reads "Demo restrictions: Character level cap: 15 / Vision Mastery rank cap: 5" and "Saved data can be carried over to the full game." GamerFuzion's advice: since Square Enix has promised only that saves carry into the full game, "play the demo on the system you plan to buy it on".

The level 15 and Mastery Rank 5 caps

0:41 Two limits apply: characters stop at level 15 and each Vision's Mastery Rank stops at 5. Square Enix's own text says only that "some level restrictions" apply (Steam); the numbers come from the demo's closing screen and from FinalBoss (FinalBoss, Oct 16, 2026). GamerFuzion points out that levels come quickly, so the extra hours go into Mastery, and suggests switching to Expert while grinding, because Expert's own description says battles are harder and award more Mastery points, then back down for a boss. Difficulty (Casual, Normal or Expert) is chosen before the opening scene and can be changed at any time (Difficulty Settings).

GamerFuzion reports that players found Mastery is tracked separately for each character, so a Vision that reaches rank 5 on Rain can be handed to Lasswell to earn a second set of bonuses. In the full game, levels go up to 99 (Game8, updated Oct 24, 2026) and Mastery Rank to 9 (Abilities, AP and Mastery Rank).

How the save carries over

Square Enix's announcement of the demo says save data carries over to the full game (Square Enix on Steam, Sep 3, 2026). It has not described a transfer between platforms, and as of Oct 25, 2026 none exists. What that means on each platform:

Sources: Square Enix on Steam (Sep 3, 2026), FinalBoss (Oct 16, 2026), Nintendo (read Oct 24, 2026), Nintendo Everything (Oct 21, 2026).

The Switch rows are the ones that catch people out. The Switch and Switch 2 versions are separate products with no upgrade and no save transfer between them in either direction, so a demo played on a Switch carries over only to the Switch game, even if you later buy the Switch 2 version for a Switch 2 (Nintendo, read Oct 24, 2026). FinalBoss's advice is to play the demo on the platform and store where you will buy the game (FinalBoss, Oct 16, 2026).

Steam's achievement figures show how many players arrived with a demo save. Three days after launch, 77.1% of Steam players had "Kweh!", for getting a chocobo, more than the 57.3% who had cleared Chapter 1, though the chocobo comes in the middle of that chapter (Steam Web API, read Oct 25, 2026; Achievements and Trophies).

What to do in the demo first

2:27 GamerFuzion's first advice is to equip the first two Visions, Leah and Tronn, as soon as the story hands them to Rain and Lasswell, because Visions grow only through the Mastery points from battles. The demo has five Visions: those two and three classic heroes, the Warrior of Light, Terra and Cloud, each in a sanctum on the world map; Cloud's is the easiest to miss because the story never leads past it. The pairing GamerFuzion says demo players settled on is the Warrior of Light on Rain, Cloud on Lasswell and Terra on Fina. More on each in Visions and Best Early Choices.

3:33 Once the chocobo is available in Kol, GamerFuzion sends you into the desert to the oasis, where Cactuars give 50 or more Mastery points each, the best Mastery farm in the demo; a level 16 Chimera on the same sand hits hard and is weak to water, so leave it until you are near the cap. Game8 also names the desert west of Kol as an early place to farm EXP (Game8, updated Oct 24, 2026; EXP, Gil and MRP Farming).

4:13 Collect the Tablet Shards, the glowing stones in towns and dungeons: GamerFuzion counts 12 in the demo, which the princess at Oblivion Palace trades for chests, the last needing all 12 and holding the Stagger Ring. It counts seven Magicite Shards as well, from Siren's Tower, Siren herself, side quests, the Oblivion Palace and the Marauder Cave boss, enough to awaken all five demo Visions once with the moogle in Grandport. Magicite is limited in the full game too, so it is worth gathering now (RPG Site, Aug 24, 2026).

The rest of GamerFuzion's list, in the order you reach it:

• Rain's dialogue choices outside the Earth Shrine each give a different permanent stat bonus; "I'll take point" raises Strength. Save first if you care which.
• Open every chest in the Earth Shrine and Grandshelt Castle: the castle cannot be re-entered once its sequence ends. Game8 lists the Black Garb in a castle chest (Game8, read Oct 25, 2026; Missables).
• Finish the side quest "Dream of an Idealist" for the Flamberge, a sword for Rain that adds 140 HP.
• The optional fights: the Marauder in the Marauder Cave at level 15, which drops a Magicite Shard, and the level 20 Antlion in the desert sandpit, which counters physical hits (Cave Masters).
• Ethers cannot be bought in the demo: enemies in Siren's Tower drop them. Give one to the Citrine Pot in the tower for a large Mastery reward.

Sephiroth is not in the demo; he appears in the full game from Chapter 5 (PowerPyx, Oct 21, 2026; Sephiroth).

Frequently asked questions

Does the Final Fantasy Resonance demo save carry over? Yes, Final Fantasy Resonance demo saves carry over to the full game, as Square Enix announced (Square Enix on Steam). The save stays on the platform where you played the demo.

Can I transfer my Final Fantasy Resonance demo save from Switch to Switch 2? No. The Switch and Switch 2 versions of Final Fantasy Resonance are separate products with no save transfer between them, so a Switch demo save carries over only to the Switch game (Nintendo).

What is the level cap in the Final Fantasy Resonance demo? The Final Fantasy Resonance demo caps characters at level 15 and each Vision at Mastery Rank 5, as its closing screen and FinalBoss state (FinalBoss). The full game goes to level 99.

How long is the Final Fantasy Resonance demo? Square Enix puts the Final Fantasy Resonance demo at 3 to 5 hours (Square Enix). Doing everything in it, including the optional fights and all 12 Tablet Shards, takes longer.

Where does the Final Fantasy Resonance demo end? The Final Fantasy Resonance demo ends at the close of Chapter 1, when the party boards the ship at Grandport Harbor. The game prompts you to save, and that save continues in the full game.

Is the Final Fantasy Resonance demo still available? Yes, the free Final Fantasy Resonance demo is still on every store after launch; Steam counted 2,258 people playing it at once on Oct 24, 2026 (Steam Web API).

Is Sephiroth in the Final Fantasy Resonance demo? No, Sephiroth is not in the Final Fantasy Resonance demo. He is an optional fight in the full game, reached by airship in Chapter 5.

Sources

• FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE Demo, Steam, read Oct 24, 2026
• FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE Demo Available Now!, Square Enix on Steam, Sep 3, 2026
• Free demo for Square Enix's Final Fantasy Resonance now available, Square Enix, Sep 3, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance demo news, Square Enix, Sep 9, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance demo, PlayStation Store, read Oct 24, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance (Switch), Nintendo, read Oct 24, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance (Switch 2), Nintendo, read Oct 24, 2026
• GetNumberOfCurrentPlayers, demo app 4474710, Steam Web API, Oct 24, 2026
• GetGlobalAchievementPercentagesForApp, app 3259780, Steam Web API, Oct 25, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance: how to prepare for launch with the demo, FinalBoss, Oct 16, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance walkthrough, RPG Site, Oct 22, 2026
• New screenshots for Final Fantasy Resonance, RPG Site, Aug 24, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance on Switch and Switch 2, Nintendo Everything, Oct 21, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance EXP farming, Game8, updated Oct 24, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance best early weapons and armor, Game8, read Oct 25, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance all Esper locations, PowerPyx, Oct 21, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance all Vision locations, PowerPyx, Oct 21, 2026
• Final Fantasy Resonance - Everything To Do In The Demo Before Launch, GamerFuzion, Oct 9, 2026 (video)
• FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE - Demo Trailer, FINAL FANTASY, Sep 3, 2026 (video)