The next expansion to the ever popular MMO Final Fantasy XIV will be Dawntrail. The announcement at the Las Vegas FF14 FanFest 2024 came as a small surprise as it is so close to the release date of Creative Unit III’s other big game Final Fantasy XVI. It seems that Creative Unit III has had a lot going for it of late, becoming a bit of a powerhouse at Square Enix under Yoshi-P’s helm.
Yoshi-P described Dawntrail as the start of a new adventure on a new horizon with the scions. The story of Hydaelyn is officially over and the world-ending calamities look to be taking a back seat with this expansion. We have been a few hits about what to expect:
- the logo art for Dawntrailer was drawn by the famous Yoshitaka Amano based on the city of Tural
- the story will still feature the scions, but not all will be allies or necessarily on the same side
- two new classes for DPS will be introduce (with the clues being one is close range and the other is a magic range, and also something related to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
The trailer and images so far suggest that there will be a more Pacific Island vibe and aesthetic to the whole world. I have strong vibes that there will be pirates (maybe even as a new class) and a chance to play Blitzball.
A new expansion starts a new adventure
It’s an exciting time for Final Fantasy XIV players, because Dawntrail will no doubt introduce some interesting new narratives and quality of life changes. What’s been discussed is that the narrative will involve making discoveries and engaging with a diverse cast. While on the quality of life changes, there will be updates to performance, look-and-feel of characters and environments, and the ability to assign two dyes to most pieces of equipment (and the introduction of eyewear).
The other big surprise was that Final Fantasy XIV would be launching on the Xbox. Phil Spencer rocked up in person to the FanFest and there seemed to be a odd situation where, what was thought to be a Sony exclusive game, now this game is going to also be on Microsoft’s Xbox as well. Good on the Microsoft players.
Check out the new trailer for Dawntrail:
Yoshi-P wants Dawntrail to be released in early Summer 2024, but can’t promise that timeline so somewhere in Summer 2024 is the expected period. Let’s wish the team well!
You can read more about the previous expansion announcements and my review of Shadowbringers here.
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