Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail release date, trailers, story, gameplay & more
Written by
Last updated
25th Mar 2024 13:30
Dawntrail is the hotly anticipated new expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, bringing you and your favourite Scions to the summer vacation you never knew you needed.
Expansions have allowed this MMORPG to flourish into one of the most popular and acclaimed games on the market, giving players so much more to enjoy and fall in love with in the game - and Dawntrail looks to only further continue the fun.
Dawntrail release date
Dawntrail is set to launch on July 2, 2024. The expansion will take the long-running MMORPG to new lands and bring in new jobs, items, and features for players to check out.
The expansion can be pre-ordered from March 26, and those who do will get early access to the expansion. This is planned to kick off on June 28, but Square Enix has called this a "tentatively scheduled" release.
Dawntrail trailers
Although our first look at Dawntrail came from the Teaser Trailer, the Full Trailer above contains all the same content and much more. It shows us the new region, Tural, some of the new characters and locations, and teases the two new jobs: Viper and Pictomancer.
The new Viper job has the player wielding two swords in dramatic fashion. The swords can be combined into a double blade for even more damage and flashy moves.
Then we have the Pictomancer, who uses aether-infused paint to deal magical damage from a distance. This is easily the most colourful job added to the game, and one of the most interesting in a long time.
The New Areas Trailer gives us a walkthrough of many of the new locations we will be visiting on our trip to Tural. The variety is vast, with everything from lush jungles to dry deserts. Tural is heavily inspired by the discovery of the Americas by Europeans, hence the "New World" terminology.
Clearly, the locations within are also inspired by the history of the continents. There seems to be inspiration taken from Aztec and Inca history, as well as the Old West.
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail story & location details
Click to enlargeFinal Fantasy 14 Dawntrail takes the Warrior of Light to a new land called Tural. Seemingly inspired by South and Latin America, the names and designs of this new region appear to be inspired by Aztec and Inca history. In the latest FFXIV fan fest, players were introduced to one of the cities that they can expect to travel through, named Tuliyollal.
Not only this, but the audience also got to get a glimpse of the tropical region in the new region, called Koazama'uka.
Shaaloani was also revealed as a desert region that is said to have a secret that is integral to the story of Dawntrail. Joining this is a new city named Solution Nine, which brings towering facades that were created outside of the Tuliyollal history.
The trailer implies that the journey to this new place is for somewhat of a holiday, but also for a specific purpose. The Warrior of Light has been asked to participate in a rite of succession to determine Tural's next ruler, which seems likely to be the spark for the inevitable conflict that will arise upon our arrival.
Beyond that, little is known yet. We do know that exploration and discovery will be prominent themes of the expansion, as the Scions will be tasked with seeking out a fabled "city of gold". Also, there may be some friendly rivalry involved, as the Scions are going to be divided into two groups in this endeavour.
All new content & jobs in Dawntrail
Click to enlargeA new expansion means a heap of new content, with plenty to do beyond the new story. As is tradition, the level cap will be increased with the new expansion, this time to level 100. Players will be able to take their existing jobs to this new cap, as well as the two new jobs that are coming with Dawntrail.
The first Job to come has been revealed in the form of 'Viper', with the second and final Job revealed in the Tokyo Fan Fest as 'Pictomancer'. The Viper focuses on two-handed dual-edged blades in close combat, whereas the Pictomancer takes an artistic approach, using aether to bring creatures, weapons, and landscapes to reality.
Beastmaster is the new Limited Job too, and while we know little about how it will work in XIV at the moment, the job itself has a long history in the Final Fantasy franchise that many players will be familiar with. Hopefully, we see the the return of the fluffy wool outfit too!
Click to enlargeAnother highly anticipated addition is the new Female Hrothgar race that players can select for their character, giving the feline family equal representation across the board. This is unfortunately the last race that will be added to the game, but one that will certainly be popular for new and existing players alike.
There will be tonnes of new content for players to enjoy, including a new Beast Tribe. They are The Moblins- a group that dresses up like Goblins and has an affinity for crafting and gathering.
Players can expect to see new Dungeons, a brand new eight-player Raid and a new Ultimate Raid.
What is the graphical upgrade coming in FFXIV Dawntrail?
Click to enlargeFor the first time in the history of the game, Final Fantasy 14 is getting a graphical overhaul for both characters and the world. This update will be an ongoing process that will begin with patch 7.0, which will be released alongside Dawntrail.
These graphical upgrades look to bring the lighting and texture quality of the game to a much higher standard while keeping things familiar. The changes won't be drastic, they won't bring the game up to the same graphical quality as something like Final Fantasy 16, but they will make Final Fantasy 14 look and feel more like a modern MMO.
Players can expect higher-quality character models, improved armour and weapon textures, better lighting across the board, and much more. These changes will only start alongside patch 7.0, it will not be an overnight overhaul, but the game will be vastly improved over time.
That's everything we have so far on Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail. For more, head to our Final Fantasy homepage for articles on leveling, Duty Support, how to join a Free Company, the monthly fee, and all of the expansions in order.
