Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, the next major expansion in the smash-hit MMORPG, has finally got a proper release date. Up to now, Dawntrail has a tentative release date of Summer 2024 but today marks the official reveal of both the early access and full expansion releases.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is officially releasing on July 2nd 2024. Meanwhile, those who pre-order Dawntrail will gain “a variety of bonuses, and may play the expansion during the early access period” which begins four days earlier than the official release on June 28th. Square Enix also announced that pre-orders for Dawntrail will go live for all platforms on March 28th so, if you want to be able to play the expansion early or want to get your hands on the collector’s edition, be sure to check back in on that date.
The release date was announced by none other than Final Fantasy XIV game director Naoki Yoshida during the FFXIV panel at PAX East, where he also made a cheeky comment about the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring, giving players one week to beat FROMSOFT’s highly anticipated next chapter in the Lands Between before they step into the New World. You can watch the entire panel, which includes a nostalgic look back at the past 10 years of Final Fantasy XIV, on the FFXIV Twitch Account.
Dawntrail Release Date Key Art
Dawntrail is the first major expansion for Final Fantasy XIV after Endwalker. This previous expansion closed the door on the game’s first major story arc with Hydaelyn and the Ascians which lasted 10 years and 4 expansions. Endwalker is also infamous for the massive queue times players experienced during its launch period and many are expecting something similar for Dawntrail. As for what Dawntrail will add to the hit MMO, we know that it will add a new race in the form of female Hrothgar, two new DPS classes in Viper and Pictomancer, and an entirely new land to explore with fresh Dungeons, Trials, Raids, and more.
The early July release date probably comes as a sigh of relief for many on account of the other major releases coming that period. Not only is the previously mentioned Elden Ring DLC launching on June 28th, a little over a week until Dawntrail, but Destiny 2’s The Final Shape, another massive saga-ending expansion, also releases earlier that month on June 4th.
Based on the pricing of previous Final Fantasy XIV expansions, expect Dawntrail to retail for about $40 to $50 based on the edition. Additionally, Dawntrail’s arrival will also likely coincide with an update to the Complete Edition of Final Fantasy XIV where players can get access to all previous expansions and the base game.
Female Hrothgar
SOURCE: Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Release Date Announcement
