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Hello there, everyone. Producer and Director Yoshi-P here to wish you all a Happy New Year!
Thanks to your continued support, we’ve made it through our first full year of service. From the initial release of A Realm Reborn, to our one-year anniversary, and the fan festivals held across the globe, we gave our all to putting the XIV in 2014 with every update and event. With a new year comes new opportunities, and we’ll spare no effort as we continue to bring you an incredible FINAL FANTASY experience.
We’ve just wrapped up our third fan festival here in Tokyo, Japan, but there’s no time for a break just yet. There’s little time to ring in the new year as the team works feverishly to bring you the grand finale of A Realm Reborn’s main scenario: Patch 2.5─Before the Fall. With the release of our first expansion─FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward─not far behind, you can be sure the beginning of this year will be a hectic one here at the office.
As I mentioned during my 19th LIVE letter, we’re planning to break up the spectacular conclusion of the current story into three updates.
Part one of Before the Fall is scheduled for the mid to end of January with the release of patch 2.5, which contains myriad challenges for adventurers of every persuasion. The patch will include roughly two-thirds of the final main scenario quests, three new dungeons, and the conclusion of the Crystal Tower questline and the World of Darkness. The patch will also feature the adventures of Hildibrand─agent of enquiry, inspector extraordinaire─on his latest (and perhaps final?) investigation, a new battle against Odin, the Dark Divinity of legend, in Urth’s Fount, new gear for gatherers and crafters, numerous new recipes, and more. We have plenty planned to make this patch a befitting prelude to the end of the 2.X storyline.
There will be much to do in patch 2.5, and before we bombard you with more in part 2, we’ll be offering players a change of pace with patch 2.51, which focuses on the introduction of the Gold Saucer. It bears mentioning, however, that the establishment is known as the Manderville Gold Saucer in Eorzea. You’ll have to check it out for yourself to figure out where this moniker came from. Including chocobo racing, chocobo breeding, and the return of the FF card game Triple Triad, you can look forward to a fun and relaxing time in the Gold Saucer.
Part two of Before the Fall is scheduled for the end of March, closing the curtain on the story that brought about the rebirth of Eorzea. What trials and tribulations await the Warrior of Light? What drastic turn of events will grant passage to the reclusive nation of Ishgard? Only time will tell.
As we usher in this new year of possibilities and adventures to come, I would be remiss not to mention that another prophetic passage─which now seems to be a yearly tradition─was delivered to my doorstep not long ago.
Louisoix, Archon and former head of the Circle of Knowing, sacrificed everything to see Eorzea to a better future, placing his faith in the Warrior of Light. But will his vision of the future come to fruition? Cast your gaze heavensward, and you’ll find the answer!
Again, I wish you all a happy new year, and hope you all look forward to what we have in store for FINAL FANTASY XIV in 2015!
FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Producer/Director
Naoki Yoshida
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