Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail New Trailer, Release Date, Race, Job, Gameplay Revealed
Developers have big plans for the next 10 years of the Final Fantasy XIV Online. This includes an expansion coming in 2024 called Dawntrail. Over the weekend, a massive trailer for the expansion came out, so here’s what we have learned so far.
During the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida revealed the Dawntrail expansion. The team briefly went over the expansion’s content, storyline, side quests, and more. This was expanded upon in a recent trailer.
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail Release Date
There is no exact release date for Dawntrail but developers have confirmed that it will launch in the Summer of 2024. Yoshida stated: “I want to get this out as early in summer as possible, but please for now just remember summer generally, just in case.”
In an official blog post from Square Enix, here’s an overview of what you can expect in Dawntrail:
- 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
- Graphic update, including character and world visuals and higher-resolution textures
New Final Fantasy XIV Online: Dawntrail Trailer
The full trailer for Dawntrail was released on January 6, 2024. It’s heavily focused on the breathtaking graphics of an expansive green world and its creepy inhabitants, including massive monsters. After defeating a Godzilla-like mutant, his meat is shown being cooked and served within Tural’s capital, Tuliyollal.
The capital is vibrant and bright, full of interesting characters and beautiful architecture. But there are a lot of mysteries hidden within the city. Use maps and other clues to try and figure out what lies deeper inside the city walls, leading to even more intense fights.
The third portion of the trailer takes place in the clear blue waters of the ocean. Climb aboard a ship and head toward adventures in Tural. It looks like there will be plenty of opportunity to explore the waters as well as the tropical forests.
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Dawntrail Graphic Update
One of the big features of Dawntrail is a big graphical overhaul. Yoshida and the team are hoping to make the game appear more modern, including environmental details and enhancements to characters. While characters are updated, however, Yoshida reassured players that they will still look the same.
Dawntrail Max Level Cap Increase
It’s been confirmed that the level cap will increase by 10 levels, going from 90 to 100. This includes new skills for all jobs and changes to combat jobs and crafting and gathering classes.
While the level cap goes up with every expansion, developers are debating if that should continue after Dawntrail.
Dawntrail New Jobs
Final Fantasy 14
Another big change in Dawntrail are the two new playable jobs. This includes Viper, a dual-wielding melee class, and the Pictomancer.
Previously, Yoshida explained that Viper is a “Final Fantasy XIV original” that should feel very different from Ninja. It will use two swords that can also be combined for powerful combos.
The Pictomancer, which was originally a mystery, will be a magical ranged DPS that uses a paintbrush to take down foes with colors and creations. In the new trailer, you see the Pictomancer creating beautiful images with splashes of paint that turn into moving creatures. You’ll be able to use art skills to summon creatures, create weapons, and more.
Dawntrail New Race
Final Fantasy 14
The trailer reveals a new race at the end, a Female Hrothgar on the boat heading to the new land. The male counterpart was added during the Shadowbringers expansion and now the rarer female form is joining in on the action.
Female Hrothgar are muscular and lean. They are strong and focused on leadership.
The Female Hrothgar is allegedly the final race being added to Final Fantasy XIV Online but we aren’t too sure that will truly be the case. Yoshida said the team may change its mind in the future.
What We Know About the Dawntrail Story
Dawntrail will focus on “discovery,” Yoshida said. This will be the first part of a new story for Final Fantasy XIV Online, but the story told within Dawntrail is “worthy of a full, packaged RPG title” alone.
From what we know so far, you’ll arrive in a new world called Tural, located far west of Eorzea. Within Tural, you’ll head to Tuliyollal, a major city, which is having a contest to determine the successor to its current ruler. This has created two rival factions within the Scions. Yoshida also noted that this will not be a “filler arc” after some joked that the trailer looks like the beach episode of an anime.
It’s been confirmed that Dawntrail will include Krile Baldesion, a major character in Final Fantasy XIV Online.
What Is Tural in Final Fantasy XIV Online?
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Tural, known as the New World, is across the ocean from Eorzea. You’ll largely be exploring the hub city of Tuliyollal, a thriving location that features a lot of nearby beaches. Tural is a diverse region where a lot of people “prioritize living with nature.”
Other locations you’ll discover in Dawntrail include Urgopacha, a mountainous region that used to be ruled by giants, and Yak T’el, a dense forest full of wildlife and the cat-like Hrothgar race.
Other Locations in Dawntrail
Tuliyollal is the massive city within Tural, the capital featured heavily in the trailer. You’ll start the expansion in a contest where the prize is “succession as the ruler of Tuliyollal,” which causes a rift between the Scions. Another location shown in the trailer is called Solution Nine and an area called Heritage Found that’s focused on lightning energy and thick clouds.
Final Fantasy XIV Online: Dawntrail Gameplay
Dawntrail will include a lot of the usual Final Fantasy XIV Online content, like new dungeons, an alliance raid, and at least one ultimate trial. On top of that, there will be PvP updates to Crystalline Conflict, Frontline, and Rival Wings. There will also be “deep dungeons,” with Yoshida stating that there are plans in the works.
An eight-player raid called The Arcadion was announced, taking place in Solution Nine. A new Alliance Raid, Echoes of Vana’Diel, will have players taking on the Shadow Lord. The Ultimate Raid, Eden - Futures Rewritten, will bring teams back to Eden to see a “what if” scenario featuring Ryne and Gaia.
Duty Support will be returning in Dawntrail, which will give single players some fun. Bring NPCs along with you for dungeons instead of matching up with other players, allowing you to play alone and experience a deep narrative. You can also explore various planets with Cosmic Exploration.
And then there’s a new boss to encounter in Tural. Valigarmanda the Eliminator was revealed at the FFXIV Fan Fest, as a colorful character with scales and feathers. This species has shown up in the past, including Final Fantasy 6.
