Closing Fantasy XIV followers throughout the globe had been hoping to see a treasure trove of recent particulars in regards to the upcoming Dawntrail growth eventually weekend’s JP Fanfest occasion in Tokyo, and head developer Naoki Yoshida didn’t disappoint by any means.
Forward of the still-projected launch of this Summer time, “Yoshi-P” offered a much wider and fortunately extra detailed imaginative and prescient of what gamers can count on throughout their model new journey to the large western continent of Tural and past. From new jobs, to the long-awaited reveal of feminine Hrothgars, to much more new areas, dungeons, raids, and extra. Right here is our record of the most important takeaways for FFXIV’s Dawntrail from JP Fanfest.
Precise Launch Date Nonetheless TBA
Yoshi-P opened up the keynote with steadfast assurance to everybody that Closing Fantasy XIV‘s Dawntrail remains to be slated for a Summer time launch, and that their ongoing improvement schedule goes very nicely. That stated, he admitted that as a result of they wish to preserve issues on observe as a lot as humanly attainable, he particularly doesn’t desire a repeat of Endwalker’s regrettable delay and is opting to attend till they’re completely sure when the date will likely be.
He completed by saying that the discharge date, and subsequently all data concerning growth pre-orders, will likely be offered in a future Producer’s Dwell Letter on YouTube within the coming months.
Pictomancer Rounds Out New Jobs For Dawntrail
Arguably the most important reveal of your entire keynote was Dawntrail’s second new job, which turned out to be Pictomancer. A shiny and cheery magical ranged DPS outfitted with a painter’s palette and a staff-sized brush, gamers will get to wield this class from the very starting of the Dawntrail growth. Yoshi-P indicated that Pictomancer will begin at Degree 80, and that the job questline will start in Gridania, an space that hasn’t seen a brand new job debut there in fairly a while.
Pictomancer will operate someplace primarily between Black Mage and Purple Mage, as a DPS with the flexibility to offer necessary buffs to the occasion. Nevertheless, Yoshi-P identified that it’ll not have a Revive skill of any type, in order that stays uniquely with Purple Mage and Summoner.
Greater than something, it’s a reduction to see that Krile lastly discovered her area of interest among the many Scions, and if the expanded trailer is something to go by, she seems happier than ever.
Feminine Hrothgars Revealed With Wuk Lamat Becoming a member of the Scions
Yoshi-P handled followers at first of the keynote with an expanded model of the trailer for Dawntrail, which showcased not solely Krile as Pictomancer, however the long-awaited reveal of feminine Hrothgars within the type of an necessary new character named Wuk Lamat (seen above within the header). The daughter of the present ruler in Tural, she’s the principle contender for the throne within the sport’s new story saga, and Yoshi-P describes her as a “highly effective” character that can have fairly a presence all through our journey.
Close to the very finish of the keynote, we additionally acquired a full reveal trailer for the feminine Hrothgar race in-game. Evidently, followers in all places to date are extremely impressed and excited to pop open a Fantasia to check out the brand new look. Whereas we don’t know for certain but, they appear to be almost as tall as Vieras, and definitely leaner and extra nimble than their stockier male counterparts. Their gesture animations look well-tuned, and the variations of their clans (as seen above) are all distinctive.
No doubt, we count on to see mobs of feminine Hrothgars operating throughout Tural from the get-go.
Answer 9 & Heritage Discovered Areas Starkly Distinction Tural
It goes with out saying that when Yoshi-P offered new idea artwork, screenshots, and even footage of two extra areas known as Answer 9 and Heritage Discovered, followers within the world viewers felt a mix of utter shock and fascination. It’s an understatement to say that, simply aesthetically, these locations are the polar reverse of Tural’s tropical landscapes. These will, in truth, be totally explorable new areas for gamers, as evidenced by the aetherytes, with who is aware of how a lot content material and lore wrapped in with them.
Whereas Answer 9 (seen above) is about as futuristic because it will get, Heritage Discovered was revealed as primarily the undercity, positioned straight beneath. Coated in a perpetual fog of lightning magicks and shadowed by the town above, Heritage Discovered seems to be extra steampunk in nature, and sure the place the much less lucky reside. Whereas some followers are screaming ‘Cyberpunk’ vibes, if this isn’t a reference not directly to FF7’s Midgar, I’ll should eat each my sneakers.
Nonetheless, Yoshi-P was very cautious to not reveal any spoilers concerning these areas, therefore why no NPCs or internal areas had been seen. Nevertheless, when a few new dungeons had been showcased later within the keynote as nicely, we may see that no less than one will happen right here.
Beastmaster is the New Restricted Job For Dawntrail
Whereas Pictomancer undoubtedly stole the present with its reveal because the second new predominant job for Dawntrail, individuals had been nonetheless anxious to know what the following Restricted Job can be. It turned out to be none apart from Beastmaster, an iconic job within the Closing Fantasy franchise that many gamers have been pleading to have put in XIV. Given the construction of fight within the sport, it in all probability does take advantage of sense to have Beastmaster in a restricted capability, and there’s little doubt that folks will likely be scrambling to check out it out in droves. It’s good to see Blue Mage lastly have a companion in its nook, and admittedly we’re relieved it’s not Inexperienced Mage.
Yoshi-P didn’t have any additional particulars to share but about Beastmaster, significantly because it gained’t debut till the second half of seven.X, however hopefully we’ll get no less than a number of extra particulars main as much as Dawntrail’s launch.
New Way of life Content material Equivalent to Cosmic Exploration & New Area Operations
So-called ‘Way of life Content material’ has progressively change into a giant a part of XIV’s tradition over the previous few years, and Yoshi-P and his staff are ambitiously trying to broaden it additional in Dawntrail. He kicked it off by revealing a totally new sort of aspect content material known as ‘Cosmic Exploration’, which in his phrases will take gamers far past Tural to “a number of totally different planets”.
As you wrap your mind round that, he additionally indicated that whereas this specific content material might be achieved solo if you want, it’s nonetheless greatest carried out alongside teams of gamers as a way to make true progress. This actually offers echoes of the Ishgardian Restoration in The Firmament, as he additionally famous that “with every replace the star you’re engaged on will change”.
As well as, he assured that one other Area Operations-style space (like Eureka and the Bozjan Southern Entrance) will debut in Dawntrail, although it’s not sure when precisely in 7.X that will likely be. Nevertheless, that can undoubtedly be to the delight of many, as that sort of content material was sorely missed in Endwalker.
So far as Island Sanctuary, there was no point out by any means of updates to that portion of Way of life Content material within the keynote, however to our recollection, Yoshi-P and his staff have beforehand stated that it’ll proceed sooner or later. It might merely take extra of a again seat to ensure that them to focus different content material for now.
First New Graphic Replace For Dawntrail Launch
One other large subject of the keynote was clearly the primary of many monumental graphic updates coming to the sport. Beginning with Dawntrail’s launch, all playable races within the sport will see total makeovers to their seems (see feminine Au’ra above) from their hair all the way down to their default race outfits. Yoshi-P took time to point out the before-and-after for every race and gender, and this by itself will up the hype for Dawntrail even additional, with gamers anxious to see how their characters will take care of the replace.
Yoshi-P even famous that they seemingly will likely be offering gamers with a free Fantasia, in case they don’t like how their present character takes care of the replace. Whether or not that’s by means of pre-order bonuses or just a part of a smaller patch replace we’re unsure, so bear that in thoughts. It’d even be a terrific alternative for folk to check out feminine Hrothgar in Character Creator. After all you may all the time use your Retainers for that as nicely.
Extra graphic-related updates will come down the road all through Dawntrail and past, as Yoshi-P talked about that it’ll have an effect on every part from open-world areas to in-game clothes. On that be aware, the two-dye choice is coming as nicely, which is able to permit gamers to dye one piece of armor/clothes two totally different colours. The glamour sport is about to total an entire new space, suffice to say.
New Alliance Raid Collaboration With FFXI
One of the highly-anticipated sorts of battle content material in XIV is Alliance Raids. Usually there are a number of sequence featured all through every growth, and the primary one for Dawntrail has been revealed. It will likely be a collaboration with none apart from FFXI, Sq. Enix’s different massive MMO title that’s nonetheless operating 21 years later, with its personal devoted fanbase.
The title of this specific Alliance Raid sequence will likely be ‘Echoes of Vana’diel’, and Yoshi-P featured a glimpse through idea artwork of the Shadow Lord, who’s the principle antagonist of the story in FFXI. We will solely think about that he’ll be featured as the ultimate boss of one of many three raids within the sequence, and that epic composer Masayoshi Soken will likely be offering some epic glow-ups of music tracks from the unique sport. From the Ivalician arc to the Nier collaboration in Shadowbringers, Alliance Raids have seldom ever dissatisfied, and we’re certain this one will likely be the most effective but.
New 8-Man Raid ‘The Arcadion’
On the heels of the Vana’diel Alliance Raid arc, Yoshi-P additionally revealed the brand new 8-Man raid arc for Dawntrail as nicely. Known as ‘The Arcadion’, we’re undoubtedly certain that is happening smack in the midst of the hyper-futuristic Answer 9 world. The offered idea artwork (as seen above) confirmed off a really vibrant, eclectic-looking area that audiences understandably thought regarded like a large GPU. We will’t assist however really feel the identical approach, and are dying to know what sorts of fights this entails, and particularly the gear units.
Yoshi-P didn’t present additional content material particulars to keep away from spoilers, however he did say that each Regular and Savage tiers of The Arcadion will arrive “about one month after the launch of seven.0”.
New Final Raid ‘Rewritten Reminiscences’
As if that weren’t sufficient raid content material for gamers to dive into, Yoshi-P truly revealed the following Final Raid that can premiere in Dawntrail as nicely. Known as ‘Futures Rewritten (Final)’, it’s set to revisit the FF8-influenced Eden arc from Shadowbringers, with Gaia and Ryne undoubtedly on the forefront. We will solely hope that we gained’t should cope with a sure ‘Mild Rampant’ mechanic this time round, however given the sheer issue of Ultimates, maybe that must be the least of our worries.
Yoshi-P introduced that Futures Rewritten (Final) will likely be launched with Patch 7.1, that means someday within the Fall.
Extra Content material Updates All through Dawntrail
Along with all the main bulletins offered in the course of the keynote, Yoshi-P made certain to additionally point out that updates for loads of current content material will proceed by means of Dawntrail as nicely. Whereas it’s seemingly not restricted to those, they for certain embody:
- Blue Mage replace – Seemingly a degree improve, extra spells for the spellbook, and extension to the questline with new gear.
- Inconceivably Additional Hildibrand Adventures – So long as he’s been round, Hildibrand evidently isn’t going wherever anytime quickly, and his distinctive mixture of thriller and slapstick comedy will proceed in additional quests. We did additionally simply get relic weapons courtesy of Godbert Manderville in Radz-at-Han, so their legacy very a lot lives on in XIV.
- New Deep Dungeons – Whereas Endwalker’s Eureka Orthos wasn’t fairly as well-received as its predecessors, Deep Dungeons stay a very talked-about sort of content material within the sport, and there are extra to return in Dawntrail. We think about one will likely be Tural-themed for certain.
- Gold Saucer replace – There’s any variety of issues this might imply, from new GATEs to new prizes, new video games, and even perhaps a brand new space within the Gold Saucer itself. We’ll merely have to attend and see in later Dwell Letters on that.
- PVP replace – This seemingly means additional updates to Crystal Battle, maybe a brand new Frontline area, new gear units, and extra.
- New Variant Dungeons – Whereas some really feel they’re a tad limiting, the participant suggestions on the Variant Dungeon sequence has been largely constructive, so they’re on account of proceed with it. After the introduction of the Sil’dihn Subterrane, Mount Rokkon, and Aloalo Island, we’ll seemingly see a handful of recent Variant dungeons and their Criterion counterparts all through 7.X.
That concludes our have a look at the most important takeaways for FFXIV’s Dawntrail from JP Fanfest. Tell us what you’re most excited to see within the upcoming growth, or what you hope to see that wasn’t essentially talked about within the keynote.
Make sure you try all of our different guides for Closing Fantasy XIV, such because the story behind Pictomancer.