Remaining Fantasy XIV followers throughout the globe have been hoping to see a treasure trove of latest particulars in regards to the upcoming Dawntrail enlargement eventually weekend’s JP Fanfest occasion in Tokyo, and head developer Naoki Yoshida didn’t disappoint in any respect.
Forward of the still-projected launch of this Summer season, “Yoshi-P” introduced 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 checklist of the largest 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 Remaining Fantasy XIV‘s Dawntrail remains to be slated for a Summer season launch, and that their ongoing growth schedule goes very properly. That mentioned, he admitted that as a result of they wish to maintain issues on observe as a lot as humanly attainable, he particularly doesn’t need a repeat of Endwalker’s regrettable delay and is opting to attend till they’re completely sure when the date will probably be.
He completed by saying that the discharge date, and subsequently all info concerning enlargement pre-orders, will probably be introduced in a future Producer’s Reside Letter on YouTube within the coming months.
Pictomancer Rounds Out New Jobs For Dawntrail
Arguably the largest reveal of the whole keynote was Dawntrail’s second new job, which turned out to be Pictomancer. A vivid 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 enlargement. Yoshi-P indicated that Pictomancer will begin at Stage 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 power to offer vital buffs to the social gathering. Nevertheless, Yoshi-P identified that it’s going to not have a Revive capacity of any variety, in order that stays uniquely with Purple Mage and Summoner.
Greater than something, it’s a aid 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 initially 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 vital new character named Wuk Lamat (seen above within the header). The daughter of the present ruler in Tural, she’s the primary contender for the throne within the recreation’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 obtained a full reveal trailer for the feminine Hrothgar race in-game. Evidently, followers all over the place up to now 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 give the impression of being to be practically as tall as Vieras, and positively 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.
Indisputably, we count on to see mobs of feminine Hrothgars working throughout Tural from the get-go.
Answer 9 & Heritage Discovered Areas Starkly Distinction Tural
It goes with out saying that when Yoshi-P introduced new idea artwork, screenshots, and even footage of two extra areas referred to 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, the truth is, be absolutely 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, situated straight beneath. Lined in a perpetual fog of lightning magicks and shadowed by town above, Heritage Discovered seems to be extra steampunk in nature, and certain the place the much less lucky reside. Whereas some followers are screaming ‘Cyberpunk’ vibes, if this isn’t a reference in a roundabout way to FF7’s Midgar, I’ll need to eat each my footwear.
Nonetheless, Yoshi-P was very cautious to not reveal any spoilers concerning these areas, therefore why no NPCs or interior areas have been seen. Nevertheless, when a few new dungeons have been showcased later within the keynote as properly, we might see that at the least 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 major job for Dawntrail, individuals have been nonetheless anxious to know what the subsequent Restricted Job could be. It turned out to be none aside from Beastmaster, an iconic job within the Remaining Fantasy franchise that many gamers have been pleading to have put in XIV. Given the construction of fight within the recreation, it most likely does take advantage of sense to have Beastmaster in a restricted capability, and there’s little question that folks will probably 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, notably because it gained’t debut till the second half of seven.X, however hopefully we’ll get at the least a couple of extra particulars main as much as Dawntrail’s launch.
New Way of life Content material Reminiscent of Cosmic Exploration & New Area Operations
So-called ‘Way of life Content material’ has progressively turn out to be a giant a part of XIV’s tradition over the previous few years, and Yoshi-P and his crew are ambitiously seeking to broaden it additional in Dawntrail. He kicked it off by revealing a completely new kind of facet content material referred to 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 explicit content material may be achieved solo if you want, it’s nonetheless greatest carried out alongside teams of gamers in an effort to make true progress. This definitely provides 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 probably be. Nevertheless, that can undoubtedly be to the delight of many, as that kind of content material was sorely missed in Endwalker.
So far as Island Sanctuary, there was no point out in any respect of updates to that portion of Way of life Content material within the keynote, however to our recollection, Yoshi-P and his crew have beforehand mentioned that it’s going to 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 recreation will see general makeovers to their seems (see feminine Au’ra above) from their hair right down to their default race outfits. Yoshi-P took time to indicate 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 doubtless will probably 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 undecided, so bear that in thoughts. It’d even be an ideal alternative for folk to check out feminine Hrothgar in Character Creator. In fact you’ll be able to at all times use your Retainers for that as properly.
Extra graphic-related updates will come down the road all through Dawntrail and past, as Yoshi-P talked about that it’s going to have an effect on every thing from open-world areas to in-game clothes. On that be aware, the two-dye possibility is coming as properly, which can permit gamers to dye one piece of armor/clothes two totally different colours. The glamour recreation is about to total an entire new space, suffice to say.
New Alliance Raid Collaboration With FFXI
Some of the highly-anticipated kinds of battle content material in XIV is Alliance Raids. Sometimes there are a number of collection featured all through every enlargement, and the primary one for Dawntrail has been revealed. Will probably be a collaboration with none aside from FFXI, Sq. Enix’s different large MMO title that’s nonetheless working 21 years later, with its personal devoted fanbase.
The title of this explicit Alliance Raid collection will probably be ‘Echoes of Vana’diel’, and Yoshi-P featured a glimpse by way of idea artwork of the Shadow Lord, who’s the primary antagonist of the story in FFXI. We are able to solely think about that he’ll be featured as the ultimate boss of one of many three raids within the collection, and that epic composer Masayoshi Soken will probably be offering some epic glow-ups of music tracks from the unique recreation. From the Ivalician arc to the Nier collaboration in Shadowbringers, Alliance Raids have seldom ever upset, and we’re certain this one will probably be among the best 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 properly. Referred to as ‘The Arcadion’, we’re undoubtedly certain that is going down smack in the course 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 seemed like a large GPU. We are able to’t assist however really feel the identical manner, and are dying to know what kinds 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 Recollections’
As if that weren’t sufficient raid content material for gamers to dive into, Yoshi-P truly revealed the subsequent Final Raid that can premiere in Dawntrail as properly. Referred to 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 are able to solely hope that we gained’t need to take care of a sure ‘Mild Rampant’ mechanic this time round, however given the sheer problem of Ultimates, maybe that must be the least of our worries.
Yoshi-P introduced that Futures Rewritten (Final) will probably be launched with Patch 7.1, that means someday within the Fall.
Extra Content material Updates All through Dawntrail
Along with the entire main bulletins offered in the course of the keynote, Yoshi-P made certain to additionally point out that updates for loads of present content material will proceed by means of Dawntrail as properly. Whereas it’s doubtless not restricted to those, they for certain embody:
- Blue Mage replace – Probably a stage 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 fashionable kind of content material within the recreation, and there are extra to return in Dawntrail. We think about one will probably 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 maybe even a brand new space within the Gold Saucer itself. We’ll merely have to attend and see in later Reside Letters on that.
- PVP replace – This doubtless 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 collection has been principally optimistic, so they’re on account of proceed with it. After the introduction of the Sil’dihn Subterrane, Mount Rokkon, and Aloalo Island, we’ll doubtless see a handful of latest Variant dungeons and their Criterion counterparts all through 7.X.
That concludes our take a look at the largest takeaways for FFXIV’s Dawntrail from JP Fanfest. Tell us what you’re most excited to see within the upcoming enlargement, 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 Remaining Fantasy XIV, such because the story behind Pictomancer.
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