In the latest live Letter from the Producer that happened during a 14-hour stream to celebrate the game’s 2-year anniversary, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn producer, Naoki Yoshida, revealed new features coming to the game in Patch 3.1.
First off, new main quests will be available, allowing players to experience the further developments of the Dragonsong War. New beast tribe quests will also be added, starting with the birdlike race, the Vanu Vanu.
Two new dungeons were revealed: the Saint Mocianne Arboretum, a large building overrun with plant life, and a Hard Mode of Pharos Sirius, the lighthouse dungeon introduced back in Patch 2.1.
Patch 3.1 will also see the expansion of the airship voyage system. Players will be able to explore uncharted islands with their Free Company crafted airships, but will have to use caution as these islands will be inhabited by strong, intimidating monsters. Gathering nodes will also be present on these islands although, before you will be able to reap their rewards, the monsters in the area will have to be defeated. Players not belonging to a Free Company won’t have to feel left out, however, as island-bound exploration airships will be available at the Ishgard landing.
Some players may have already caught a glimpse of an enormous airship in the field, lurking ominously in the distance before disappearing out of sight. This was revealed to be the next 24-person raid, the Void Ark. It will be similar to the Crystal Tower series of alliance raids and will share the same loot raid format as the World of Darkness.
A new Primal was announced and producer Yoshida explained that more details would become available during the in-game event, “The Rising,” which is scheduled to begin August 27 and last until September 7.
Fans of the Manderville Gold Saucer will be pleased to know that a new game is headed to the amusement park. “Lords of Verminion,” originally an April Fool’s joke, will finally become a real game in which you use your adorable minion pets you’ve collected to do battle with other players’ minions. In addition, more Triple Triad cards will be added to the game, as well as even more NPCs to challenge.
Patch 3.1 will also give the ability of flight to some preexisting mounts, such as the Ahriman and the Bomb Palanquin.
On a humorous note, a graph was shared showing how often “YOSHIDAAA!” was said in-game. The total amount was quite surprising, showing a significant spike at the beginning of Heavensward early access, back in June. Whether these were shouts of elation, frustration, or a mixture of both can be left to interpretation.
