History VideoGame / FinalFantasyXIV

In February of 2021, the next expansion, ''Endwalker'', will be released in Fall of the same year, bringing with it two new jobs; the healing Sage, and a yet to be announced melee DPS.

A UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 version, originally scheduled for a March 2011 release and initially put on indefinite hold, was finally released alongside the ''Realm Reborn'' client in August 2013. An UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} version was also in development, but has been canceled after they failed to come to an agreement with Xbox Live and Microsoft. The UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 version was announced in E3 2013 and was released in April 2014. A smartphone app called Libra Eorzea'' was also released as a reference for quests and such, though it has since been rendered defunct and replaced by the ''FFXIV Companion App''. Talks are still ongoing with Microsoft and there is potential for an Xbox One version.[[note]]Though it appears contingent on two things: one, the Xbox version absolutely must be allowed to talk to the same servers as the PC and [=PS3=] & 4 versions, which Microsoft was opposed to at the time; and two, the game should ideally not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access online functions, since it's already a subscription-based game and the additional fee would be unfair for Xbox players who otherwise don't use the Gold services for much. Microsoft has reversed their stance on cross-platform play, ironically leaving that requirement in Sony's hands. It is unclear if they will budge on the Xbox Live requirement, however.[[/note]] It has also been recently hinted that Square Enix would like to publish the game on UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, but Sony's current refusal to allow for cross-platform play likely makes this difficult.

A UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 version, originally scheduled for a March 2011 release and initially put on indefinite hold, was finally released alongside the ''Realm Reborn'' client in August 2013. An UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} version was also in development, but has been canceled after they failed to come to an agreement with Xbox Live and Microsoft. The UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 version was announced in E3 2013 and was released in April 2014. A smartphone app called ''[[https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-xiv-libra-eorzea/id682415504?mt=8 Libra Eorzea]]'' was also released as a reference for quests and such. Talks are still ongoing with Microsoft and there is potential for an Xbox One version.[[note]]Though it appears contingent on two things: one, the Xbox version absolutely must be allowed to talk to the same servers as the PC and [=PS3=] & 4 versions, which Microsoft was opposed to at the time; and two, the game should ideally not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access online functions, since it's already a subscription-based game and the additional fee would be unfair for Xbox players who otherwise don't use the Gold services for much. Microsoft has reversed their stance on cross-platform play, ironically leaving that requirement in Sony's hands. It is unclear if they will budge on the Xbox Live requirement, however.[[/note]] It has also been recently hinted that Square Enix would like to publish the game on UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, but Sony's current refusal to allow for cross-platform play likely makes this difficult.

Archives of cutscenes from the first version of the game exist on Youtube (such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU5N24_5VIk this one]]), and much of the text is preserved on various wikis; none of it may be found any longer in game. An excellent video with a condensed summary of 1.0's lore may be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZgp8mUrog here]].

The game is set in the Eorzea region of the planet Hydaelyn. Before the start of the game, the {{Steampunk}} Garlean Empire had set to use their overwhelming military force to attempt to conquer Eorzea, starting with the city-state of Ala Mhigo. The remaining four city-states- Limsa Lominsa, Ul'dah, Gridania and Ishgard- militarized to meet this threat, but before another shot was fired the Garleans mysteriously halted their advance, leaving the city-states with a large armed force and nothing to really fight against. The cities thus banded together in an uneasy peace, forming the Adventurers' Guild to employ these new mercenaries and investigate the secrets behind the Empire's sudden invasion and retreat.

[[caption-width-right:349:Embrace the darkness and forge a new fate![[note]]Clockwise from bottom: [[TheHero The Warrior of Light/Darkness]], [[BadassBookworm Alphinaud]], [[LadyOfBlackMagic Y'shtola]], [[TokenEvilTeammate Emet-Selch]], [[MysteriousWaif "Minfilia"]], [[PapaBear Thancred]], [[BigGood the Crystal Exarch]], [[EccentricMentor Urianger]], [[ActionGirl Alisaie]]]]

''Final Fantasy XIV'' is the fourteenth game in the [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons groin-grabbingly]] [[RunningGag popular]] ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series. It is an {{MMORPG}}, similar to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', and was timed exclusively to the PC in its first release, and was a simultaneous PC & [=PS3=] release in its second iteration (see below). In both its 2010 and 2013 releases, it had both a Standard and a [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition Collector's Edition]], whose buyers were able to start the game 8 days early (in the 1.0 CE's case), get exclusive in-game items, [[{{Feelies}} a themed journal (in 1.0) or an artbook (2.0), and some other bells and whistles]].

[[caption-width-right:349:Embrace the darkness and forge a new fate!]]

The game was initially met with mixed-to-bad reactions from players and reviewers alike, citing [[ObviousBeta numerous glitches and bugs, poorly implemented features]] and an unbalanced in-game economy as the game's main problems. Creator/SquareEnix responded by [[http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl/topics/detail?id=ae8d667b53355d8ea364fafa44d5253e4362e17f apologizing for the state of the game]], and [[YouHaveFailedMe replaced]] several key members of the development team. The team then had to decide if they wished to try to fix and salvage what they could or rebuild the game from almost the ground up. They ultimately opted for the latter.

The first major expansion to the game, ''Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward'', was initially stated for a Spring 2015 release, but got delayed in order to polish the content and launched in June of the same year. It's set in the formerly closed off country of Ishgard, home of the Dragoons, as well as the nation's long-time [[OurDragonsAreDifferent draconic]] opponent, Dravania; its main story shines some light on the history of fierce war between humanity and dragonkind that has been raging in Eorzea's north for centuries. Among its gameplay-related features, it includes flying mounts (much like those in [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft World of Warcraft]]) as well as the introduction of a new playable race known as the [[DraconicHumanoid Au Ra]] (of which the ninja Yugiri is a part of) and three new classes that start at level 30 as full jobs, the classic [[BlackKnight Dark Knight]], stargazing [[{{Astrologer}} Astrologians]], and [[TheGunslinger gun]] and [[TheEngineer machine]]-wielding [[TheTurretMaster Machinists]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ffxiv_original_logo.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:From the flames of Destruction, A new Beginning rises...]]

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], which is set to finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving a concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero a Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job. At the Paris Fan Festival, an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPVSF2dpUE extended trailer]] was shown, revealing the expansion's release date of July 2nd, 2019. Further announcements at the Paris Fan Fest include the confirmation of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]] as a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LH6Np2VI_o playable race]], the [[https://i.redd.it/sbge1rnrj4e21.png Gunblade job]] taking up a tank roll called the Gunbreaker, a Raid designed by Creator/TaroYoko based off of VideoGame/NierAutomata, and new beast tribes: the pixies, dwarfs, and nu mou. At the following Tokyo fanfest, all the details were revealed along with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tyuIh12_HU full trailer]]: The expansion's setting takes place in "The First", one of several alternate dimensions home to a world that is rapidly dying to a flood of uncontrolled light, as the Warrior of Darkness has come to bring balance back to the stagnant, dying world. The same fanfest also confirmed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJTHh15yJzw Dancer]] as the second new Job acting as a ranged DPS, and revealed that Viera would be a female-only OneGenderRace, also revealing a male-only counterpart in the form of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l82wTaVhW0 Hrothgar]] ([[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Ronso]] by another name).

What the ''kupo'' do you think you're doing?!

In April of 2017, Square Enix aired ''Series/FinalFantasyXIVDadOfLight'' on Japanese television. The series covers the exploits of a young man who aims to reconnect with his estranged father through ''Final Fantasy XIV''. The series was made available for international audiences via Creator/{{Netflix}} in September of 2017.

The game is set in the Eorzea region of the planet Hydaelyn. Before the start of the game, the SteamPunk Garlean Empire had set to use their overwhelming military force to attempt to conquer Eorzea, starting with the city-state of Ala Mhigo. The remaining four city-states- Limsa Lominsa, Ul'dah, Gridania and Ishgard- militarized to meet this threat, but before another shot was fired the Garleans mysteriously halted their advance, leaving the city-states with a large armed force and nothing to really fight against. The cities thus banded together in an uneasy peace, forming the Adventurers' Guild to employ these new mercenaries and investigate the secrets behind the Empire's sudden invasion and retreat.

A UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 version, originally scheduled for a March 2011 release and initially put on indefinite hold, was finally released alongside the ''Realm Reborn'' client in August 2013. An UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} version was also in development, but has been canceled after they failed to come to an agreement with Xbox Live and Microsoft. The UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 version was announced in E3 2013 and was released in April 2014. A smartphone app called ''[[https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-xiv-libra-eorzea/id682415504?mt=8 Libra Eorzea]]'' was also released as a reference for quests and such. Talks are still ongoing with Microsoft and there is potential for an Xbox One version.[[note]]Though it appears contingent on two things: one, the Xbox version absolutely must be allowed to talk to the same servers as the PC and [=PS3=] & 4 versions, which Microsoft was opposed to at the time; and two, the game should ideally not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access online functions, since it's already a subscription-based game and the additional fee would be unfair for Xbox players who otherwise don't use the Gold services for much. Microsoft has reversed their stance on cross-platform play, ironically leaving that requirement in Sony's hands. It is unclear if they will budge on the Xbox Live requirement, however.[[/note]] It has also been recently hinted that Square-Enix would like to publish the game on UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, but Sony's current refusal to allow for cross-platform play likely makes this difficult.

The hype for ''A Realm Reborn'' was severely underestimated by Square-Enix, who were forced to pull the digital copy of the game after their servers choked from the sheer influx of new players attempting to log in. After improving the capacity of their servers, they began to ease back the restrictions and gave everyone one week of free play as way of apology. Even to this day, many servers remain character-creation-locked during their "prime-time" hours, in an attempt to keep server populations relatively even, due to the sheer number of new people ''still'' joining the game.

In April of 2017, Square-Enix aired ''Series/FinalFantasyXIVDadOfLight'' on Japanese television. The series covers the exploits of a young man who aims to reconnect with his estranged father through ''Final Fantasy XIV''. The series was made available for international audiences via Creator/{{Netflix}} in September of 2017.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/800px-FFXIV_Logo.png]]

''Final Fantasy XIV'' is the fourteenth game in the [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons groin-grabbingly]] [[RunningGag popular]] ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series. It is an {{MMORPG}}, similar to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', and was timed exclusively to the PC in its first release, and was a simultaneous PC & [=PS3=] release in its second iteration (see below). In both its 2010 and 2013 releases, it had both a Standard and a [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition Collector's Edition]], whose buyers were able to start the game 8 days early (in the 1.0 CE's case), [[{{Feelies}} get exclusive in-game items, a themed journal (in 1.0) or an artbook (2.0), and some other bells and whistles]].

The new version, called '''''Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn''''', [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore brought about sweeping changes by rebuilding the world and engine from the ground up]]. Set five years after [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the climax of the original game]], the world has entered the "Seventh Umbral Era": a period of decline brought about by the [[ColonyDrop fall of the lesser moon Dalamud]] and the ensuing rampage of [[SealedEvilInACan the ancient Primal Bahamut]]. The people of Eorzea have survived thanks to the "Warriors of Light", but for some reason [[LaserGuidedAmnesia no-one can remember exactly how they were saved or who the Warriors even are]]. With the aid of the [[BigGood three Grand Companies]] and the enigmatic "Scions of the Seventh Dawn", a new generation of adventurers must rise to take on this brave new world, fighting not only the rallying beastman hordes and the looming Garlean Empire, but a [[BlackMagic dark sect]] of [[MaskPower masked sorcerers]] whose origins [[AncientConspiracy may be deeply rooted in Hydaelyn's history]].

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job. At the Paris Fan Festival, an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPVSF2dpUE extended trailer]] was shown, revealing the expansion's release date; July 2nd, 2019. Further announcements at the Paris Fan Fest include the confirmation of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]] as a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LH6Np2VI_o playable race]], the [[https://i.redd.it/sbge1rnrj4e21.png Gunblade job]] taking up a tank roll called the Gunbreaker, a Raid designed by Creator/TaroYoko based off of VideoGame/NierAutomata, and a new beast tribes; the pixies, dwarfs, and nu mou. At the following Tokyo fanfest, all the details were revealed along with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tyuIh12_HU full trailer]]: The expansion's setting takes place in The First, one of several alternate dimensions home to a world that is rapidly dying to a flood of uncontrolled light, as the Warrior of Darkness has come to bring balance back to the stagnant, dying world. The same fanfest also confirmed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJTHh15yJzw Dancer]] as the second new Job acting as a ranged DPS, and revealed that Viera would be a female only OneGenderRace, and revealed a male OneGenderRace in the form of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l82wTaVhW0 Hrothgar]]; [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Ronso by another name]].

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job. At the Paris Fan Festival, an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPVSF2dpUE extended trailer]] was shown, revealing the expansion's release date; July 2nd, 2019. Further announcements at the Paris Fan Fest include the confirmation of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]] as a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LH6Np2VI_o playable race]], the [[https://i.redd.it/sbge1rnrj4e21.png Gunblade job]] taking up a tank roll called the Gunbreaker, a Raid designed by Creator/TaroYoko based off of VideoGame/NierAutomata, and a new beast tribe, the pixies. At the following Tokyo fanfest, all the details were revealed: The expansion's setting takes place in The First, one of several alternate dimensions home to a world that is rapidly dying to a flood of uncontrolled light, as the Warrior of Darkness has come to bring balance back to the stagnant, dying world. The same fanfest also confirmed Dancer as the second new Job, and revealed that Viera would be a female only OneGenderRace, and revealed a male OneGenderRace in the form of the Hrothgar; [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Ronso by another name]].

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job. At the Paris Fan Festival, an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPVSF2dpUE extended trailer]] was shown, revealing the expansion's release date; July 2nd, 2019. Further announcements at the Paris Fan Fest include the confirmation of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]] as a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LH6Np2VI_o playable race]], the [[https://i.redd.it/sbge1rnrj4e21.png Gunblade job]] taking up a tank roll called the Gunbreaker, a Raid designed by Creator/TaroYoko based off of VideoGame/NierAutomata, and a new beast tribe, the pixies.

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job. At the Paris Fan Festival, an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPVSF2dpUE extended trailer]] was shown, revealing the expansions release date; July 2nd, 2019. Further announcements at the Paris Fan Fest include the confirmation of the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]] as a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LH6Np2VI_o playable race]], the [[https://i.redd.it/sbge1rnrj4e21.png Gunblade job]] taking up a tank roll, and a Raid designed by Creator/TaroYoko based off of VideoGame/NierAutomata.

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] and several more currently-unrevealed jobs (at least one heavily implied to use Gunblades) and a yet-to-be-announced new race (heavily hinted at - though unconfirmed - to be [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]]).

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] and several more currently-unrevealed jobs and a yet-to-be-announced new race.

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] (technically a Stormblood job.

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] (technically a Stormblood job, as it released with 4.5) and more new jobs that have yet to be announced (Gunblades, role unknown) and a new race, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]].

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] and more new jobs that have yet to be announced (Gunblades, role unknown) and a new race, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Viera]].

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is to set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] and more new jobs that have yet to be announced (the current hint; Gunblades).

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], the expansion is set finally bringing a close to the long-standing conflict with the Garlean empire, as well as finally giving concrete explanation of the Ascians, Hydaelyn and Zodiark while implying that the situation has grown grim enough the player character must become [[FallenHero A Warrior of Darkness]] to save the world, and as such has a focus on the Dark Knight job as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]] and more new jobs that have yet to be announced (the current hint; Gunblades).

In November of 2018, at the North American Fan Festival, the game's next expansion was announced; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYy1uzSq Shadowbringers]], as well as introducing the PowerCopying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ3oGF2SJM Blue Mage]].