Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the MMORPG's next expansion, coming next year
Today during the Final Fantasy XIV Fanfest 2023 Keynote, Square Enix revealed that the next expansion for the MMO, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail - releasing Summer 2024. The company showcased the first look at the expansion's opening trailer, detailed some information about what new content and features will debut with the newly-announced expansion, and a surprise appearance of Microsoft's Head of Gaming, Phil Spencer, coincided with the long-awaited announcement that the MMORPG will shortly be available on Xbox consoles.
Alongside the expected features for a Final Fantasy XIV expansion - new dungeons, trials, and raids to challenge; new cities and zones to explore - players will engage in a brand-new story that takes the Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn across the Western Sea to the New World - a clearly Central and South America inspired locale. It was also revealed right off-the-bat that not only will Dawntrail continue to include 2 new jobs with the launch of the expansion, but players can already expect for the expansion to come with both a new Melee DPS and Caster DPS job; though no further clues were given, outside of Naoki Yoshida wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt.
After many years of hints and teases, it was also confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV will finally release on Xbox; specifically, Xbox Series X|S. Not only will both platforms benefit from fast SSD loading, but Series X will include a 4K output mode. The Xbox version will release into Beta next Spring, ahead of Dawntrail's release on PlayStation 4, 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Mac during Summer, 2024.
Stay tuned for our further coverage of Final Fantasy XIV, and the upcoming Dawntrail expansion!
Press Release
Square Enix is today announcing Dawntrail, the fifth and latest expansion pack for its critically acclaimed MMO, Final Fantasy XIV Online, set to launch in Summer 2024.
The expansion was first revealed by Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida during his keynote address at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas, alongside a new teaser trailer offering a taste of the adventures to come as the Warrior of Light ventures to the New World, Tural for the first time.
The new expansion will bring an abundance of fresh content, including an increased level cap, multiple new jobs, sprawling new areas, new allied tribes, new dungeons, and new core battle content such as FATEs, Hunts, Treasure Hunts, and sidequests, and much more. Some of the features players can look forward to include:
- Journey to the New World, Tural, and its capital, Tuliyollal
- Explore new areas, including the mountainous Urqopacha and the forest of Yak T’el
- New Allied Tribes, including the diminutive Pelupelu who wear distinctive masks and inhabit Urqopacha
- Level Cap increase from 90 to 100
- Multiple New Jobs
- Core Battle Content including FATEs, Hunts, Treasure Hunts and Sidequests
- New Dungeons
- New Threats, including Valigarmanda
- Duty Support Update
- New Gear and Recipes
- Expansive New Lifestyle Content
- New Variant Dungeons, Alliance Raid, 8-Player Raid and Ultimate Raid
- PvP Update
- Ongoing Content Updates, including a Blue Mage Update, Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures, New Plans for Deep Dungeons and a Gold Saucer Update
In addition to these features, D awntrail will introduce the game’s first graphical update for both character and world visuals, including:
- Improvements to screen-wide aesthetic appeal
- Higher resolution textures and shadows
- Improved material qualities
Also in the keynote, it was revealed the existing Final Fantasy XIV Online Free Trial would be expanded even further during Patch 6.5. When it launches, the Even Further Expanded Free Trial will add all the content from the Stormblood™ expansion (and updates through Patch 4.58), including the Red Mage and Samurai playable jobs, and allow newcomers to venture all the way up to level 70 with no limits on play time.
In a surprise announcement, Yoshida was joined onstage during the keynote by CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer to confirm the long-awaited Xbox version of the critically acclaimed MMO will be launching on Xbox Series X|S in Spring 2024, with an open beta starting during the Patch 6.5x series. The digital-only release will also enjoy 4K support on Xbox Series X. More information will be revealed soon, with details available at: http://sqex.to/0ziAY
Finally, Yoshida revealed an upcoming collaboration with Mediatonic’s party royale obstacle course smash hit Fall Guys. The “Warriors of Light Fame Pass” is set to release in Fall Guys on August 22, 2023, with a new Fall Guys-inspired Gold Saucer attraction arriving in Final Fantasy XIV Online as part of the Patch 6.5x series. For more information on the collaboration, please visit: http://sqex.to/tnpEC
