The MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 has announced a new expansion. Dawntrail is expected to be released in the summer of 2024.
The MMO Final Fantasy 14 continues to grow and announces the now fifth addon at FanFest 2023 in Las Vegas for its 10th anniversary, which is called Dawntrail It takes the fans to the west of the MMORPG world, to the New World: to Tural.
In the trailer, which was shown at FanFest in Las Vegas, you can see the familiar characters that have accompanied the players for many years. So the shared journey through the now huge story of FF14 continues.
The exact release date is still unknown, but the release window has been set for summer 2024.
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FF14 is coming to Xbox
One of the biggest announcements of FanFest was the Xbox version of the game 4 years after Xbox CEO Phil Spencer promised to bring FF14 to the Microsoft console as well, the promise is being fulfilled.
On Xbox, FF14 will support 4K mode and will also be available for the Series S one. The release window has been set for Spring 2024. The open beta will launch during patch cycle 6.5.
The Xbox version will support unlimited crossplay. All FF14 players will still all be able to play on shared mixed servers.
At the same time, FF14 is further increasing the limits of the free trial. The second expansion, Stormblood, will also be free to play.
The best holidays our hero could have
After saving the world half a dozen times, the new addon takes you on a holiday
Together with your friends, you will go in search of the legendary city of gold. But the companions will split into two rival groups
The addon picks up the spirit of the adventure that defines the player character. The story opens a new chapter in MMORPG after completing the Hydaelyn Zodiark saga with Endwalker.
Director and producer Naoki Yoshida described it by saying: We wanted to give the Warrior of Light the best holiday our hero could have.
New areas, new content, lots to discover
The new, updated map of the world shows new continents that lie beyond the western ocean. So far, only one area has been uncovered there, named Tural. Judging by the trailer, it is the home of the Amal Ja, the tribe that is common in the areas around La Noscea.
The first known city is called Yok Tural and its style is based on Central American peoples such as the Aztecs or Mayans. The inhabitants of this nation live in harmony with nature, which is why there is no Magitek there.
Yok Tural is a port city where many traders conduct their business and where many cultures converge.
Outside the city is Urqopacha, another new area. It is a mountain range where various tribes have settled and built their settlements in the rocks.
Another new area is Yak T’el, which can be reached by flying ship. It is divided into a ground and an air area.
In each new addon, the player characters met new races that could become their allies. In Tarul, they are the Pelupelu, a race of small people who are very crafty, trade and make good alcohol.
Content for the release
The addon brings new gameplay primarily through the increase of the maximum level from 90 to 100 and the associated new abilities for all jobs The collectors and craftsmen are also affected by this
There will also be several new jobs (classes) but they remain secret. Fans will have to wait until the next FanFest. However, it is known that one of them is a melee fighter and the other a mage. All jobs and classes will receive new armour sets.
There will be a number of new dungeons, which fans will traditionally tackle as they level up and during the main story. Players can also look forward to the following content:
- New Variant Dungeons
- New 24-Man Raids
- New 8-Man Raids in Normal and Epic
- New Ultimate Raids for the hardcore players
Following positive feedback on the island paradise, director Yoshida also announced that there will be more content from the guy. However, he did not reveal any details yet.
PvP fans can also look forward to updates. All modes will receive new maps, most notably Rival Wings and Frontlines. Other updates include content such as:
- Blue Mage
- Adventures of Hildibrand
- Deep Vault
- Gold Saucer
A new feature is also the Strategy Board, where players can prepare and discuss ingame the often complex raid and trial battles.
The feature is still in development. However, the first screenshot shows an overview that will look familiar to many raiders from raiding tool sites.
The big graphics update
With the Dawntrail addon comes the first graphical upgrade to FFXIV. The goal was an overall improvement in graphics quality, with special care taken to not change the appearance of player characters too much.
Improvements were made to the quality of shadows, reflections, materials, resolution and textures, among other things. In the video below you can see a number of comparisons, although it was stressed that not all armour sets will be ready by the launch of 7.0.
During the keynotes at FanFest, Yoshida explained that the graphical update has allowed the team to place many more details and items on the map.
More upgrades will follow during the 7.0 update and the team will gradually deliver the missing armour and NPCs.
Alongside the graphical updates, system-side updates will also be released. The gear colour system has been revamped and will allow players to assign two different colours to one piece of gear.
A new gear slot will also be introduced that will allow goggles and hats to be worn at the same time. The glasses, however, will not be treated as armour, but are purely cosmetic. They do not consume space and will not increase status stats.
The latest system change is the increase in the maximum amount of furniture in Housing. While Director Yoshida could not promise that the update will go online directly with the addon, the team is already working on it.
New system requirements
All the updates will of course have an impact on the hardware, which is why the minimum requirement will be slightly increased. However, PS4 players need not worry, the system will still be supported.
The new minimum requirements are:
- Windows 10 or 11 (64 bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 or higher
- Memory: 8 GB
- Storage: 140 GB or more
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or higher. AMD Radeon R 480
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or higher. AMD Radeon RX 480 or higher
- Resolution: 1280×720
What do you think of the new expansion? Will you be trying out the MMORPG now that it’s also coming to Xbox and Stormblood is being added to the free trial? What are your guesses about the new jobs? Tell us in the comments.
