We’re in an odd time for Final Fantasy XIV. Players have firmly settled into Patch 6.3 and are probably working on other areas like leveling alternate Jobs or collecting mounts. We also know that Patch 6.35 is coming soon, offering new content like Eureka Orthos, further Manderville Weapons quests, and Loporrit Tribal Quests.
After that, the FFXIV team will deliver Patch 6.4. So what can players expect next from Final Fantasy XIV?
When Will FFXIV Patch 6.4 Release?
Update: Per the Letter From the Producer Live, Patch 6.4 will release on May 23, 2023!
This is a bit of a guess, but it’s an educated one, thanks to Final Fantasy XIV’s remarkably consistent patch schedule. Outside of the Endwalker launch delay, the MMORPG has been one of the most reliable live service games, which is probably why it continues to receive awards.
Given previous patch releases, we can guess that Patch 6.4 will launch in May 2023. Major patches tend to come out four months apart, and Patch 6.3 came in January 2023.
This could always change as the FFXIV team is trying to pursue a healthier style of development. “Looking at our schedule and how we work, I do want my team to be healthy, and to be able to maintain a good level of quality because they’re taking the necessary breaks. To be honest, there were areas where we might not have performed as well as we should have, because some of us may have been pushing too hard,” said lead producer Naoki Yoshida in the February 2022 Live Letter from the Producer.
What We Do Know Is Coming In FFXIV Patch 6.4?
In a previous Live Letter, Yoshida and company already explained some of the expected content coming to the patch. Outside of the new main scenario quests, there’s far more coming down the pipeline.
The Final Pandaemonium Raid
Players have already finished off Asphodelos and Abyssos, but there’s one last series in the Pandaemonium raids. Patch 6.4 will see the release of the last series, finishing off this lost side story in the history of the Ancients. Who truly is Lahabrea and what lies at the bottom of this raid dungeon?
Trust System Additions For Stormblood Dungeons
If you want to tackle the Stormblood dungeons, but you’d rather not do so with actual players, Patch 6.4 will hook you up. The Trust system, which allows players to run dungeons with a team of NPC characters, will be updated to include all of the dungeons from FFXIV’s second expansion.
Further Criterion and Variant Dungeons
The FFXIV team has promised two additional Criterion Dungeons for Patch 6.4 and 6.5. It’s likely that each dungeon will come in the major patches. That means will probably get another Criterion Dungeon in Patch 6.4.
Another Island Sanctuary Region
You may have already done everything you need to do in the Island Sanctuary. If that’s the case, there’s more coming in Patch 6.4 and 6.5. We don’t know exactly which patch is going to get the additional content, but it’s likely going to come in 6.4, as the Island Sanctuary itself launched in Patch 6.2.
A New Dungeon and Trial
Given the shape of the Endwalker main scenario up until this point, it’s likely that Patch 6.4 will offer a brand-new Trial tied to the Voidsent storyline. Given the previous patches, I’d guess that this Trial will put players up against Golbez himself with the dungeon featuring his Final Fantasy IV partner, the Shadow Dragon. That will open the storyline up to whoever is behind Golbez’ machinations in Patch 6.5.
What Might Be Coming In FFXIV Patch 6.4?
There’s a number of other items that may make an appearance in Patch 6.4. None of these items have been confirmed, but again, we can take a guess. By looking back into the past, we might glean the shape of the future.
A New Treasure Hunt Dungeon
A number of players may not have engaged at all with the Treasure Hunt dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV. They’re a great way to gain gil and unique rewards. These dungeons are accessed via Timeworn Maps, of which there are three in Endwalker at the moment: Timeworn Saigaskin Map, Timeworn Kumbhiraskin Map, and Timeworn Ophiotauroskin Map. The latter two unlock special treasure dungeons. We might get another Treasure Hunt map and dungeon in either 6.4 or 6.5.
Another Unreal Trial – Zurvan
If you’re on the bleeding edge of progression, then you’re probably engaging with Faux Hollows. This system unlocks the Unreal Trials, harder versions of existing encounters. We tend to get one of these every major patch. For Patch 6.2 and Patch 6.3, we received Containment Bay S1T7 (Unreal) and Containment Bay P1T6 (Unreal), respectively. Those fights are two members of the Warring Trial, Sephirot and Sophia.
That means it’s likely that the Patch 6.4 Unreal Trial will finish off the Warring Triad, giving us an Unreal version of the Zurvan fight, also known as Containment Bay Z1T9.
