Final Fantasy 14’s 7.0 update isn’t out until next summer, but its director already has plans for 8.0 and 9.0
Just don’t ask him about it
Final Fantasy 14’s 7.0 update won’t hit the MMO for almost another year, arriving alongside the game’s next expansion Dawntrail in the summer of 2024. Director Naoki Yoshida already has some plans for the next two major updates after that, though - but he’d really rather you didn’t ask about them.
“Right now, what I really don't want to be asked is, firstly: what is going to be the main story in 8.0. And, secondly: what are going to be the new jobs in 8.0?” Yoshida replied when asked what question he hoped never to be asked again at this weekend’s Final Fantasy Fan Festival in London.
Earlier that day, Yoshida had teased the first of two new jobs arriving with Dawntrail next year: the dual-wielding Viper. The second class remains under wraps for the time being, with a reveal of the ranged magical DPS role planned for the Tokyo Fan Fest on January 7th.
As well as bringing the continuation of Final Fantasy XIV’s main storyline following the conclusion of its Hydaelyn-Zodiark arc in 2021’s Endwalker, Dawntrail will overhaul the decade-old MMO’s visuals with a significant graphics update.
While all of Dawntrail’s additions are still yet to be unveiled, and Yoshida doesn’t want to talk about what comes next before time, the developer admitted that FF14’s next two major releases are already in the works - even if it’s still very early days for now.
“When we create an expansion we're planning two years in advance,” Yoshida confirmed. “But if, at this point in time, I was just to answer what I have in my head, it would be a bit of a pickle for me. It would put me in a difficult situation. So, yeah, let's avoid that.”
XIV’s director-producer has previously called the MMO his life’s work, and in 2021 said he foresees at least five more years of content - adding last month that he hopes the game’s latest arc will last at least another decade. In that respect, it makes sense that the team are already laying out the next couple of years - and Yoshida himself has no plans to go anywhere.
“While I did say that I don't want to be asked about it, I do have ideas in my head for 8.0 through to 9.0,” Yoshida said, “So I am definitely intending to still do a thorough job of developing Final Fantasy 14 further.”