Players who pre-order and purchase the $59.99 Collector’s Edition of FFXIV Dawntrail get a few different bonuses as part of their collection. One of the major bonuses, and perhaps the most important one, is the FFXIV Ark Mount. I would argue this bonus alone makes the entire collection worth it.
The Collector’s Edition costs about $20 more than the fifth expansion for the long-running MMORPG. I purchased the Collector’s Edition for the last few expansions, because the mounts that come with them are often among the best in the entire game. Fortunately, Square Enix is not changing that status quo with Dawntrail. However, this might be the most lucrative Collector’s Edition mount yet.
In the past, we got mounts like the Syldra in Stormblood and the Grani in Shadowbringers. Basically all of these special items look utterly fantastic, with the case of Endwalker’s Arion being another fantastic example. However, while they look great, they don’t usually have much to offer in terms of lore. In fact, I would say that these Collector’s Edition mounts could connect more to the expansions they are tied to or at least offer something different.
That is, fortunately, the case with the new Ark Mount in FFXIV Dawntrail. Veteran Final Fantasy fans will recognize this mount as an exact replica of the Ark eidolon in Final Fantasy IX. It is the ultimate summon in that game. It was known for being most powerful and offering some incredible visuals. Its defining features come from its airship style, which can transform into a mecha form.
This Collector’s Edition mount possesses those same qualities. It appears as a basic airship while players fly around in it, but you can also transform it into its mech form as well. This alone makes the Collector’s Edition worth buying to me, as the other mounts in the past didn’t have this level of transformation and flexibility. This almost feels like two different mounts in one.
In addition, it fulfills my desire to enjoy some much-needed lore. Unlike the other expansions’ offerings, it ties directly into a past game, complete with all of the pure nostalgia that comes with that. I feel it is by far the most desirable mount out of the various Collector’s Editions we’ve had up until this point. Not to mention, this mount presumably has some ties to future FFXIV content or even a possible FFIX remake.
I know that I can’t wait for either of those to happen, so getting the FFXIV Ark mount in the meantime will make the wait worth it. There are two ways to get the Ark mount. The first is to pre-order the $59.99 Collector’s Edition of Dawntrail before launch. However, if you don’t get it before launch, not all hope is lost. There will be a Digital Collector’s Edition upgrade after the fact available anytime on the Mogstation. I should note that there are some pre-order items available immediately. However, this mount won’t become available until the full expansion release on July 2, 2024.
Final Fantasy XIV is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The fifth expansion, Dawntrail, will release on July 2, 2024.
