Final Fantasy XVI is known for its rich narrative, told through its main storyline and various DLCs. But there are always more stories to be told, with the highly-acclaimed title getting a fifth expansion titled Dawntrail, featuring a summer vacation theme and multiple new jobs.
Announced by game director Naoki Yoshida (affectionately known as Yoshi-P) during Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2023, it touts “the very best summer vacation a hero could possibly have,” and marks the first step into a “new story” for the MMORPG. Dawntrail introduces players to the ‘New World’, known as Tural, which lies over the ocean to the far west of Eorzea, and where the Warriors of Light will determine its next ruler through a rite of succession. Throw the Scions and contest tensions into the mix, and trouble is brewing on the horizon.
Tural opens up the world to a new hub city: Tulliyollal, a city inhabited by diverse groups of individuals focused on living in harmony with nature, and is ruled by Gulool Ja Ja, a two-headed Mamool Ja. Apart from new content features, including new allied tribes such as the Pelupelu, the upcoming patch will bring the following:
- A level cap increase from level 90 to 100, including new skills for all jobs
- Multiple new jobs: No specifics, but Yoshi-P confirmed both would be DPS roles — one melee, and one ranged magical
- New dungeons
- New enemies
- A duty support update
- New gear and recipes
- New lifestyle content
- New variant dungeons
- New raids, including a new Alliance raid
- PvP update
More notably, Final Fantasy XIV is getting its first major graphical overhaul with the Dawntrail update. Plants and vegetation will have more detail and density, while the NPCs will be “a lot prettier,” according to Yoshi-P, who also declared he’ll continue to work on the game “until I die or even afterward”.
The game’s free trial is also expanding from the end of Heavensward to include all the content in Stormblood, all the way up to the start of Shadowbringers in its upcoming 6.5 update, releasing early October. Following that, Dawntrail will hit Final Fantasy XIV in the summer of 2024. It joins Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and Endwalker in the line of expansions released for the title, each of which boasts a rough playtime of 60 to 80 hours.
In a final surprise announcement, Yoshi-P announced the game’s long-awaited arrival to Xbox consoles. The Xbox Series X and S versions will come with faster loading, 4K support on the Xbox Series X, and cross-platform play — although players are required to purchase a copy of the game on Xbox to do so. The port is currently planned for release in Spring 2024, which means Dawntrail will be playable on Xbox, with an open beta scheduled for patch 6.5.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
