Square Enix revealed brand-new information about Dawntrail, the fifth and latest expansion pack for its critically acclaimed MMO FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, set to launch in Summer 2024.
Headlining the news is the announcement of the first new job to arrive in Dawntrail: the dual-wielding “Viper.” The reveal was made by Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida during his keynote address at the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2023 in London, alongside a new teaser trailer showing off the Warrior of Light in action as the ferocious close-range fighter.
The keynote also saw the announcement of the new alliance raid series planned for the 7.x content cycle: Echoes of Vana’diel – a crossover series with FINAL FANTASY XI.
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 newly-announced features players can look forward to include:
- New Job – The “Viper”, a close-range fighter using two one-handed blades that can be combined into a single two-handed weapon.
- New City – Tuliyollal, the seat of the federal nation-state governing Tural, located in the Northern Reaches of Yok Tural. A walkthrough video can be seen here.
- New Areas – The tropical region of Kozama’uka, replete with myriad rivers, streams and waterfalls, and the arid region of Shaaloani, spanning vast rain-starved plains across which a railroad is being constructed. Field walkthroughs can be seen here
- New Allied Tribe – The Moblins, a people residing in the jungles of Kozama’uka who bear a strong resemblance to the goblins with whom they share common ancestry.
- New Threats – Eliminator
- New Alliance Raid – Echoes of Vana’diel, a crossover series with FINAL FANTASY XI.
- New Limited Job – Planned for release in the latter half of the Patch 7.x series.
These fresh announcements about what to expect in Dawntrail build on those revealed earlier in the year at the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas, which 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, Dawntrail 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
Yoshida also revealed new details on content players can still look forward to in the 6.x series as they prepare for Dawntrail’s launch. A crossover questline with FINAL FANTASY XVI titled “The Path Infernal” was revealed, while the much-anticipated Fall Guys-inspired Gold Saucer attraction will officially launch on October 31st as part of Patch 6.51.
Following the announcement at the Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas, the open beta for the Xbox Series X|S version of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is due to launch between mid-January and February 2024. Ahead of the official launch in Spring 2024, players on the Xbox family of consoles will be able to experience the wonders of Eorzea for the first time in this digital-only release and will also enjoy 4K support on Xbox Series X. More details will be shared soon.
More information on fifth expansion, Dawntrail, will be shared at the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2024 in Tokyo, scheduled for January 7th – 8th, 2024. For future updates on how to watch the livestreams of these events, please keep an eye on the Lodestone.
With more than 27 million total registered players, there has never been a better time for newcomers to begin their adventures in the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online saga. The Even Further Expanded Free Trial now includes all content from A Realm Reborn™, the Heavensward expansion, and the Stormblood expansion (and updates through Patch 4.58), including an additional playable race (Au Ra) and five additional playable jobs (Dark Knight, Astrologian, Machinist, Red Mage, and Samurai). Free Trial players can enjoy hundreds of hours of award-winning gameplay and story experiences equivalent to three full FINAL FANTASY titles, without limit on playtime. More information can be found on website.
