Over the weekend, Square Enix has been celebrating all things Final Fantasy 14 at the Final Fantasy 14 Fanfest, an annual event that has become immensely popular amongst the game’s growing fanbase. During the event, the developer announced the official launch date of the title for PS5: May 25. The game’s next big expansion, Endwalker, will drop on November 23. The PlayStation 5 version of the popular fantasy MMO features faster load times, 4K resolution, a high-resolution UI, DualSense support, new trophies, and 3D audio support. It’s in open beta now and has been playable on the console since April 13 and the arrival of patch 5.55. As well as full support for the game on Sony’s newest generation of console hardware, Square Enix also announced what players can expect over the coming weeks and months in-game by way of a new roadmap. You can see this embedded at the base of this article. After Patch 5.55 arrives on May 25, we can expect to see the “Make it Rain” Campaign hit the game in July. At some point between June and July, Patch 5.57 will drop, and then between July and August, Patch 5.58 will drop. August will also see both the “Moonfire Faire” and “The Rising” events before the Final Fantasy XV Collaboration returns in September. Then, in November, we’re getting the Endwalker expansion. This will include a new job (Reaper), a new playable race (Male Viera), a new location (Old Sharlayan), two new areas (Labyrinthos and Mare Lamentorum), and much more besides. Check out a quick rundown of what to expect, via Square Enix, below.
New Job: Reaper – The Reaper is a scythe-swinging melee DPS specialist who calls upon an avatar from the Void to join them in close-quarter combat. Reapers can even serve as a host for their avatar! It’s a brutal, flamboyant fighting style that’s quite unlike anything else in Final Fantasy XIV—and it looks like amazing fun. New Playable Race: Male Viera – Male Viera will join Endwalker as a new playable race, giving Warriors of Light yet another race to enjoy during their adventures. New City: Old Sharlayan Travel to Expansive New Areas: Labyrinthos and Mare Lamentorum – Labyrinthos is an artificial training ground that’s quite unlike anything the Warriors of Light have seen before. For something a little less earthbound, you’ll get to traverse the stunning lunar landscape of Mare Lamentorum. New Tribes to Encounter: Loporrits – The bunny-like Loporrits will also add a touch of adorableness to the expansion. They’re a genuinely fascinating addition to the game’s diverse world, and you’ll get to learn a lot about them when the expansion releases in November.
New Threats to Overcome: The Magus Sisters – In Endwalker, you’ll be pitted against some particularly tough foes that Final Fantasy fans may be familiar with: the Magus Sisters. This trio of troublemakers first appeared in Final Fantasy IV, and later returned to support Yuna as powerful aeons in Final Fantasy X. Now they’re back, and this new form may just be the most intimidating yet… New Alliance Raid Series: “Myths of the Realm” – Endwalker will introduce a brand new alliance raid series, and it looks to be one of the most exciting yet – particularly for long-term fans and Hydaelyn historians. Titled ‘Myths of the Realm’ it’ll take you deeper into the lore FINAL FANTASY XIV Online than ever before – all while presenting an exciting challenge. A New Data Center: Oceania – Players in Australia and New Zealand will be getting a new place to call home, with a brand new data center on the way. We’ll have more information about this in the coming months, so stay tuned.
There’s a lot to look forward to if you’re a Final Fantasy 14 fan, then. If you are interested in the Endwalker expansion, you should check out our interview with FF14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida.
