Square Enix's Final Fantasy 14 director, Yoshi-P, acknowledges the MMO's not being flawless following Dawntrail, but Patch 7.3 signifies a fresh start for the company.
In a bid to address ongoing concerns about the balance between casual and hardcore content, Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida, the director of Final Fantasy XIV, has announced several significant changes in the upcoming Patch 7.3.
The most notable change is the overhaul of Phoenix Down items. Previously unique and only usable outside of combat, these items will now be stackable and usable during fights, making them genuinely useful for players.
Patch 7.3 also introduces new Main Scenario Quests, longer than usual, along with a new Deep Dungeon and alliance raid content. While the patch may be lighter on new content volume, it emphasizes quality of life and fundamental gameplay improvements. Yoshi-P has hinted at the possibility of revisiting old Deep Dungeons to add new checkpoint systems, similar to those introduced in 7.3, although no concrete promises have been made.
The new Deep Dungeon is designed to showcase Final Fantasy XIV's new philosophy on difficulty.
Despite these efforts, Patch 7.25, which added Occult Crescent and other new features, wasn't well-received by many players. The community's feedback, as shown in Steam reviews, indicates clear dissatisfaction. Square Enix, however, claims to have taken this feedback into account while designing Patch 7.25.
Looking ahead, Patch 7.4 is set to introduce a new variant dungeon in Final Fantasy XIV. Additionally, an Ultimate raid for the MMO is currently in development, although a release date has not been announced.
Longtime fans of the MMO are hoping that these changes will improve the game's current state, which Yoshi-P himself has acknowledged isn't perfect. However, some players have expressed skepticism about Yoshi-P's promises, questioning if they are just lip service.
Meanwhile, Square Enix is hoping to announce the dates for the next Fan Festival soon. In other news, Itahana Toshiyuki, the character designer for Final Fantasy 9, has joined Square Enix's CS3 team.
In a separate development, there have been suggestions that the Dawntrail protagonist Wuk Lamat should be killed off to add more impact to the story. New Final Fantasy 11-inspired characters and raids are also in development for Final Fantasy 14.
As Final Fantasy XIV continues to evolve, players and fans alike eagerly await the improvements promised in Patch 7.3 and beyond.
- Players might find the overhaul of Phoenix Down items in Patch 7.3 more beneficial as they will now be usable during fights and stackable.
- While Patch 7.4 is set to introduce a new variant dungeon, some players have expressed skepticism about the promises made by Yoshi-P.
- Square Enix is planning to announce the dates for the next Fan Festival, and Itahana Toshiyuki, the character designer for Final Fantasy 9, has joined Square Enix's CS3 team.
- In a separate development, there have been suggestions that the Dawntrail protagonist Wuk Lamat should be killed off to add more impact to the story.
- The community's feedback, as shown in Steam reviews, indicated clear dissatisfaction with Patch 7.25, and Square Enix claims to have taken this feedback into account while designing future updates.
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