I haven’t touched Dawntrail yet. Final Fantasy 14 is a game I’ve put hundreds of hours into in the past, having cleared Endwalker before walking away for an extended hiatus. Catching up ahead of its release was a thrilling yet exhausting exercise that I’ll happily do again, but only once the time is right. Until then, I’ll be watching from the sidelines as the beloved MMORPG kicks off a new adventure that will go through its motions for the next decade.

Our own Ryan Bamsay set himself the herculean task of playing through all of Final Fantasy 14 ahead of Dawntrail’s release, a task that involved seeing Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and Endwalker through before touching the new expansion. In just six months, he saw everything the main questline had to offer, coming away with a loving appreciation for Final Fantasy 14 that bled deeply into Dawntrail. I’d love to share in this feeling, but I know I’m not in the right time or place to become a hardcore player yet again.

So, I’m going to wait.

Dawntrail Is The Start Of Something New

Square Enix made it abundantly clear that Endwalker was capping off a decade of narrative as it brought the initial saga to a close in spectacular fashion. Questions we’d asked for years finally had answers, while major characters lived, died, or departed in the midst of an unforgettable climax. It was an amazing expansion, and the hype behind it was nothing short of incredible. Shadowbringers was similarly masterful, and served to bring in thousands of curious players while simultaneously cementing Final Fantasy 14 as one of the very best MMOs.

When the patch quests started slowly building towards the epic circumstances of Endwalker, we were ready and willing to dive in. But this epic conclusion also came with some baggage. Ever since A Realm Reborn, we have been walking alongside the Scions of the Seventh Dawn towards a natural endpoint, and one where many believe they should have left the Warrior Of Light behind as they recruited new allies. But now they need to drum up anticipation all over again in a new land with new stakes and new enemies. There will be many great and memorable moments over the next ten years, and untold satisfaction for fans who stick around for the entire ordeal, but I’m okay not being a part of that passionate collective.

I want to suddenly be ambushed by a wave of excitement in 2034 - or whenever this new saga comes to a close - and suddenly find myself asking what all the fuss is about. What has Final Fantasy 14 done in my absence to warrant my return to the fold, and will I have time to catch up before it all goes down? Chances are I will, because I’ve done it before and know I’ll play with a single class and enough interest in the narrative that the finish line won’t be too hard to reach. And who knows how Final Fantasy 14 will change in the next decade, or if this new saga will ever pick up enough steam to match the brilliance of its forebears.

These are all questions we won’t have answered for years, and I’ll happily embrace my own confusion when I finally reinstall this game and return to a character I haven’t touched in just as long. Friends and colleagues have already proven that Final Fantasy 14’s community can be welcoming regardless of your progress, skill, or whether you’re a new or returning player. So, in a decade’s time, I’ll take them up on their offer to savour everything I’ve missed.

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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

3.5/5 Released July 2, 2024 ESRB Teen // Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence Base Game Final Fantasy 14 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op Engine Proprietary
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Dawntrail is the fifth full expansion for Square Enix's MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, and marks the start of an all-new story arc. It takes the Warrior of Light across the ocean to the continent of Tural, adds the new Viper and Pictomancer jobs, and a host more dungeons, raids, and more.

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