Final Fantasy XIV is heading to PAX East 2024, and it is set to have events, panels, and booths for four days. There will be booth giveaways, official activities, and fan-held events, as well as panels from the likes of FFXIV director and lead producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida.
With all this going on, there’s no shame in needing a guide to everything going on. Below all the currently planned official and unofficial events listed on both the PAX East websites, FFXIV Lodestone website, and Reddit have been compiled into your guide to FFXIV at PAX East 2024.
All Weekend
Final Fantasy XIV booth
A FFXIV Booth will be open on the main PAX East floor for the duration of the event. There are reportedly fan activities in the booth, including those listed below, as well as giveaways and more besides.
New Player Experience Area
Players who’ve never played FFXIV can dive in for the first time at the FFXIV booth with the New Player Experience Area. These players will take on the trials of Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, and if they manage to defeat the Primal, will be able to earn themselves a free copy of FFXIV Online Starter Edition for PC.
Giveaways
FFXIV fans can attempt to pick up Dawntrail-themed lanyards and sun hats while stocks last at the FFXIV booth.
Asura Battle Challenge at the FFXIV booth
Asura returns to bully FFXIV players as attendees can take part in “The Gilded Araya” Trial introduced in FFXIV Patch 6.5. Defeating Asura will reward the “I Defeated Asura” t-Shirt in the style of the recent FFXIV CD covers.
Thursday, March 21
- When: All weekend
- Where: Booth 16019
On top of this being the day that FFXIV official releases for Xbox Series X|S, it’s also the first day of FFXIV proceedings at PAX East. There’s no planned events for this day, so this is probably the best time to head to the FFXIV booth and grab merchandise, take part in the battle challenges, and enjoy the setup.
Friday, March 22
Leviathan the (Not So) Lost is Here: What’s New in FFXVI DLC, The Rising Tide (Panel with Naoki Yoshida, Takeo Kujiraoka, Koji Fox)
- When: 11:30am
- Where: Albatross Theatre (Level 2)
Not strictly FFXIV, but featuring many members of the development team, this panel kicks off on at 11:30am EDT. Featuring Yoshi-P, localization director Koji Fox and DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka, this will likely be a great chance to learn about the development process the FFXVI and FFXIV use when making a game.
Unofficial Photo Meetup at the FFXIV booth
- When: 2pm
- Where: Booth 16019
At 2pm EDT an unofficial photo meetup will take place at the FFXIV booth. Cosplay is encouraged but not required. This is being organized by fans from the FFXIV Subreddit, and is an informal and unofficial meetup.
Unofficial Cosplay Meetup
- When: 2:30
- Where: The Lawn on D (Outside of the convention center)
After the Photo Meetup at the FFXIV booth, a Cosplay Meetup will take place at 2:30pm on the Lawn on the D. This location is just outside the ticketing area where the food trucks are on the east side of the convention center. If you're confused, head out the front of the convention center, head towards the Westin, make a right down East Side Drive, and you should see the lawn across from the convention center's east side doors. The event is subject to weather, and will be canceled if there’s rain. There’s another chance for meeting up in cosplay on Saturday should the weather be too bad.
Saturday, March 23
Journey to Dawntrail: The 10 Year Adventure of FFXIV (Panel with Naoki Yoshida)
- When: 12pm
- Where: Main Theatre (Level 3)
This is the main Dawntrail panel, which will also be live-streamed on Twitch. This will take place at 12pm EDT, at the Main Theatre. Hosted by Naoki Yoshida, this is expected to be the main attraction for FFXIV fans as they get a chance to see more of the upcoming expansion, Dawntrail.
Community Meetup
- When: 7:30pm
- Where: Community Room (Level 1 across from the Bobcat Theatre)
A second Community Meetup will take place at 7.30pm. This will notionally be a cosplay meetup, but it’s not required. This is also where Warrior of Light sticker trading, Badge Ribbon trading, Community Trivia, and giveaways will take place. This is an official meetup and is on the PAX schedule. A valid badge for Saturday will be required.
Sunday, March 24
There are currently no events scheduled for Sunday, so if you’ve missed anything at the FFXIV booth, this is the best chance to head there, as queues may be shorter. However, supplies on giveaways and prizes may be lower on Sunday.
