Final Fantasy XIV's Las Vegas Fan Festival 2023 is finally here and during the keynote, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida announced the latest updates coming to FFXIV. If you couldn't tune in yourself, below you'll find the most important details revealed in the stream.
Not everything at Fan Fest will be streamed online, but you can plan ahead using the official schedule.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
The next Final Fantasy XIV expansion is titled Dawntrail and is releasing in Summer 2024. The trailer was pretty sparse in information, but we're going to the "New World."
Yoshida says the company is aiming "for as early in summer as possible," describing the expansion as "the very best summer vacation you could ever have."
The theme is a "A Journey of Discovery."
New Tural Zone - "The New World"
The Warrior of Light will travel across the Indigo Deep seeking a fabled city of gold alongside Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Erenville with the Scions divided into two opposing groups.
Tural is a new location to the west of Eorzea.
New Hub City: Tuliyollal
Yoshida says the new hub city of Tuliyollal has an emphasis on diversity including other races like Mamool Ja, including Gulool Ja Ja, a two-headed Mamool Ja who currently rules the city.
New Zones
- Urqopacha - A mountainous region in Yok Tural home to peoples both exceedingly large and unusually small in stature.
- Yak T'el - A thick forest accesssible from Tuliyollal via dirigible flight over the southeastern mountains. So dense is its foliage that the forest floor sees little sunlight.
- Home to the main Hrothgar and Mamool Ja settlements.
New Allied Tribes
With new zones come new tribes to build reputation with. While Yoshida says there are many, the only one he was able to talk about was The Pelupelu. A "diminutive" people, highly skilled in trade who travel on alpaca back.
FFXIV 7.0 Updates - New Jobs, Level Cap Increase
Among the upgrades coming in FFXIV Patch 7.0 are:
- A level cap increase from 90 to 100.
- New skills for all combat jobs.
- Two new combat jobs: Both jobs are DPS roles; one melee and one ranged/magical DPS.
- More FATEs, Hunts, and Treasure Hunts.
- New dungeons.
- Duty support updates.
- Debuting new characters outside of the Scions.
- "Expansive new lifestyle content."
- Content in the same vein as Island Sanctuary.
- New Variant dungeons.
- New Alliance Raid.
- New 8-Player Raid.
- New Ultimate Raid.
- PVP updates.
- New Frontlines maps.
- Ongoing Content
- Blue Mage updates.
- Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures.
- New Deep Dungeon plans.
- Gold Saucer updates.
First Graphical Update
Yoshida also took some time to explain the company's strategy and goals behind the graphical updates.
- Improvements to screen-wide aesthetic appeal.
- Not just about making the characters look better.
- Higher resolution textures and shadows.
- Improve material qualities while preserving the overall look of FFXIV.
Based on previews, there seems to be a lot of improvement to shadows, eye depth and reflections, environment colors, and metal reflections.
System Updates
Alongside the graphics update, Square Enix is also updating the game's dye system, enabling two dyes per gear piece. In addition, eyeglasses are being added which can be worn alongside headgear. These will not take up space in your armory chest.
The furnishing limit will also increase sometime in the 7.X patch cycle.
The developers are also implementing a Strategy Board in game for hardcore raiders who need to convey things like party placement.
FFXIV 6.5 Upgrades
The infamous FFXIV free trial is being expanded to include Stormblood.
Other Updates
Crossover with Fall Guys.
- FFXIV themed battle pass in Fall Guys.
- Fall Guys themed event in the Gold Saucer.
FFXIV Coming to Xbox
After years of console exclusivity on PlayStation, FFXIV is finally coming to the Xbox platforms digitally in Spring 2024, meaning it'll be released before the new Dawntrail expansion. Those who want to get their hands on it can test an open beta sometime in Patch 6.5X.
Yoshida says more details on Dawntrail will be shared at London Fan Fest on October 21, 2023.
