What’s arrived with FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker?

What’s included in the new expansion at launch, and what’s coming later?
By Duncan Heaney

The wait is over - FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker is now available for PS5, PS4, PC and Mac.

This expansion is a particularly special one - in many ways it’s the culmination of everything that’s happened up to this point.

But what exactly is included with the new release? Let’s take a closer look:

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

A saga eons in the making comes to an end

From the very beginnings of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, we’ve been immersed in the tale of Hydaelyn and Zodiark. This story has taken us to many amazing places, introduced us to unforgettable characters and left fans excited and emotional in equal measure.

Now the time has come - the final chapter in FINAL FANTASY XIV’s first grand saga reaches its conclusion in Endwalker. It’s a fitting finale, with highs, lows, and surprises a-plenty.

One particularly exciting thing about it is that the expansion provides a satisfying conclusion to the story in and of itself. Previously, the main scenario of each FINAL FANTASY XIV Online expansion has continued through the subsequent patch series, but with Endwalker, the complete finale is coming in the expansion from day one!

That doesn’t mean there won’t be additional story content coming, however. As one story comes to an end, another begins - future updates will set the stage for new adventures and a brand new storyline that builds on all that’s come before it.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

The sage job looks like a wise choice…

Endwalker introduces two very different jobs to the game. The first of these, sage, is going to be very appealing to players who like help as much as hurt.

Sage is a healer job that uses magical objects called nouliths to channel aether for various effects. Sages are experts at healing and can even create barriers to protect and strengthen themselves and allies.

Of course, aether can be used offensively too, and sages are more than capable of bringing the pain to anything that opposes them.

In short, sage is a fun, fresh and flexible way to play FINAL FANTASY XIV Online - any party would be grateful to have one around.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

…but the reaper is great for getting a slice of the action

If you’re more of a ‘get-up-close-and-slice-‘em’ kind of player, you should look to the new reaper job.

These agile melee fighters are able to unleash devastating amounts of damage very quickly using their two-handed scythes. Not only that, they can summon avatars from the void to fight on their behalf.

In short, you have one of the coolest weapons in the game, and an entertainingly theatrical move set with a distinctly different feel from other DPS jobs. It all adds up to make the reaper a job to die for.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

The level cap’s gone up

Welcome news for anyone who’s maxed out their characters in Shadowbringers - the level cap for classes and jobs is going up from 80 to 90 with the release of Endwalker.

Mare Lamentorum

We’re taking you to the moon

The new areas being added in Endwalker are so epic that even Hydaelyn can’t contain them. If you were completely shameless, you could even say that some of them are out of this world.

Yes, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is heading to the moon. Mare Lamentorum is like nothing you’ve seen in the game before - a beautifully stark landscape littered with artificial buildings of unknown origin and purpose.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

The earthbound areas are expansive and varied

It’s easy to get excited about heading up to the stars, but the terrestrial environments coming in Endwalker are just as important… and impressive.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

Old Sharlayan is a sprawling metropolis of gleaming white - and home to the most prestigious seat of learning in Hydaelyn.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

Labyrinthos is a massive underground complex that was designed to house all the knowledge of Sharlayan. And Sharlayan knows a lot. It’s far from dark and dingy though - the artificial sky and climate controlled environment make it a surprisingly lush and pretty place to explore.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

The city of Radz-at-Han sits at the top of a huge pillar of rock, and positively bursts with color!

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

Definitely among the most striking regions in Hydaelyn (at least in our opinion), the island of Thavnair is hot, humid, and full of amazing things to uncover.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

The Warriors of Light finally make it to Garlemald. The once-flourishing Imperial Capital has seen better days to say the least. Still, there’s plenty of find amid the rubble.

We recently completed our world tour of Hydaelyn with a closer look at each of the areas in Endwalker. Check it out here:

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

Male Viera are now available

Shadowbringers players get ready to whoop. With the release of Endwalker, you can create male Viera at last.

It’s something the fans have been asking for, and now it’s a reality. You can create a new male Viera character right now or use a phial of Fantasia to turn one of your existing heroes into the new race.


Say hello to the new Beast Tribes

Two additional tribes join the ranks with the launch of Endwalker.

Arkasodara Beast Tribe

The Arkasodara are a tribe of Matanga indigenous to the isle of Thavnair. They may look big and bulky , but their deft hands and thirst for knowledge make them more than meets the eye.

Loporrits Beast Tribe

Secondly, there are the Loporrits - who appear to have much in common with the curious wanderer known as Namingway from Eorzean myth.

Estinien

In Estinien we Trust

The Trust system lets you bring NPCs into select dungeons instead of real players. With the launch of Endwalker, a true fan-favorite joins the party: Estinien Wyrmblood.

The dragoon, who captured many players’ hearts since the Heavensward expansion, will be a valuable ally on your single-player excursions into the expansions’ deadliest dungeons.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker screenshot

That’s just scratching the surface of what’s included in Endwalker at launch… and it’s just the beginning. Future patches will expand things further with a wealth of additional content. Here’s just a sample of what lies ahead:

  • New High-End Raid: Pandæmonium - Arriving in Patch 6.01, only the strongest, best-prepared, and most coordinated teams will survive the gauntlet. And that is just the Normal difficulty—those looking for an even greater challenge can look forward to the release of Savage difficulty in Patch 6.05. This one is going to be utterly brutal. Good luck.

  • New Residential District: Empyreum - As of Patch 6.1, you'll be able to set down roots in Ishgard, which is in better shape than ever following the hard work of crafters and gatherers to restore the Firmament in Shadowbringers.

  • “Crystal Conflict” PvP Content - Patch 6.1 will also add new small-scale PvP content in the form of Crystal Conflict. This 5v5 mode has its own ruleset, maps, progression systems and more. If you like to test your skills against other players, it’s one to watch out for.

  • New Alliance Raid: Myths of the Realm - This new raid pits 24 players against a host of new challenges. We don’t want to ruin any surprises here, so watch out for it in a future update.

  • Data Center Travel System - Players will be able to visit each other on different data centers when the Data Center Travel System launches in a future update.

  • Oceania Data Center - The new data center for players in Australia and New Zealand is planned for February 2022.


FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker is out now for PS5, PS4, PC and Mac.

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