Ultimate Fantasy 14 recreation director Naoki Yoshida says we’ll have loads of possibilities to point out off our power within the MMO’s upcoming tales, however warns that you simply may need to do some studying. Our Warrior of Gentle was purported to be on trip in Dawntrail, and, whereas that did not pan out fairly as we hoped, we nonetheless took extra of a again seat to offer the characters round us an opportunity to step up and develop. Patches 7.2 and seven.3 make it more and more clear that method will not be potential shifting ahead, nonetheless, so we sat down with ‘Yoshi-P’ at Gamescom to debate changing into the hero once more, fixing puzzles, and Dawntrail’s deal with household.
In addition to investigating his plans to handle problem in a brand new means, Jamie additionally requested Yoshida about a few of the extra story-led elements of the current Ultimate Fantasy 14 updates, and whether or not they’re equally indicative of a shift in route for the MMORPG. With out stepping into particular spoilers, there is a climactic second in patch 7.3 that places you proper on the heart of the motion. It positively received me cheering, and I noticed an identical response from the many individuals I watched expertise it in their very own playthroughs. So is that this method one thing the staff needs to maintain doing?
“With regards to expressing the distinctive function of the participant because the hero, and with a view to showcase actually cool cutscenes and sequences the place we will present an actual ‘hero’s expertise’ and showcase the ‘power of the hero,’ we do need to put extra deal with this shifting ahead,” Yoshida tells us [via Square Enix translator].
A part of the enjoyment of seven.3’s most triumphant motion sequence is that you simply get a customized animation primarily based in your job. It is not the one time within the patch that issues, both; the brand new dungeon separates gamers out throughout one boss struggle and arms them totally different fight duties primarily based on their function: healers should cleanse a Doom debuff, tanks should interrupt a harmful enemy transfer, and DPS gamers must destroy a machine inflicting fixed harm ticks.
“Inside the MSQ, we will not all the time present a novel expression for the roles in each patch,” Yoshida says. However “in the case of utilizing the roles in battle content material and bringing out extra of that uniqueness of every job, we’re engaged on an enormous replace.” Earlier than Dawntrail even launched, Yoshi-P had teased that he needed to counteract ‘class homogenization’ in an overhaul that was deliberate for 8.0.
As for what that may appear like, he explains that “Folks may consider it as an growth of the system that we have now within the recreation. So the gamers who already like the way in which issues are can really feel comfortable that nothing goes to vary for his or her expertise. However we try to do one thing new on prime of what we have already got.”
Yoshida says he is unable to share extra on this at this cut-off date, and I doubt we’ll get a lot information on the matter till a minimum of Fanfest 2026, however he reemphasizes: “By way of the individuality of every job and in addition showcasing the participant character to the fullest when it comes to how they’re the hero of the sport, we need to proceed inserting significance on each of those elements shifting ahead.” In the event you have been amongst these annoyed by our extra back-bench function in Dawntrail’s MSQ, that’ll seemingly come as welcome information.
One other spotlight of patch 7.3 is a sequence the place the Warrior of Gentle and their companions examine an outdated analysis lab. Once more, I will avoid narrative spoilers, nevertheless it’s an prolonged part that includes some mild puzzle parts that require learning the surroundings, speaking to varied NPCs, and placing collectively the items to unravel. Whereas it isn’t fairly Blue Prince when it comes to complexity, it is a refreshing change of tempo that places you within the thick of proceedings because the participant, as a substitute of feeling such as you’re simply being dragged alongside whereas the opposite characters speak to one another.
“It is not essentially the case that that sort of expertise will all the time be included into the primary state of affairs,” Yoshida muses, “but when the concept is fascinating, and we predict that it could be enjoyable for the primary state of affairs, then there’s a risk that we might incorporate it.” Chatting with the participant response, he notes, “In fact gamers who need to immerse themselves within the story and actually expertise it as a lot as they will discovered it actually refreshing.
“However, there are some gamers who simply need to rush by the primary state of affairs as quick as they will. And for them, this sort of aspect was extra of a burden for them and it received in the way in which. However on the finish of the day, the vital factor is the expertise of the gamers, and the story is part of that. So we wish to try what good suggestions we acquired and what unhealthy suggestions we acquired, and we will take a look at making the most effective of all that suggestions with a view to create one thing new.”
Sadly, for those who’re a narrative skipper, that may trigger some small progress blockers. “They normally would skip the entire textual content simply to get to the top of the MSQ,” Yoshida remarks, “however this time round they really must learn the textual content with a view to clear that portion.” He says it is “tough for us to tweak it in such a means that it is accommodating for the gamers who actually need to immerse themselves and luxuriate in it as a lot as they will, and in addition for these gamers who simply need to rush by all the things as a result of they need to play the most recent excessive trial as quick as potential.”
With Dawntrail now over, there’s yet another query: who ended up as Yoshida’s favourite character? “We actually put in loads of exhausting effort and work to be sure that the entire characters’ tales would attain their completion in 7.3,” he says, “and due to all that effort and a spotlight, it’s extremely tough for those who ask me to decide on only one as my favourite.” Regardless of that, he thinks for some time after which factors to the growth’s youngest star, Gulool Ja (word that there’ll naturally be some mild story spoilers right here).
“After we take a look at Gulool Ja, he is nonetheless a toddler,” Yoshida explains. “Out of all of the characters that we have depicted in Ultimate Fantasy 14, I feel he could be the youngest when it comes to age. However although he’s a toddler, he has a really robust basis and a powerful standing, however on the similar time, he is additionally malleable, because it have been – I feel that goes with out saying, as a result of he’s a toddler.
“However when it got here to depicting that trajectory of his feelings, I feel that was one space we did that actually stands out. One other instance is Lamaty’i and Koana taking him in as a part of the household. Exhibiting that hyperlink and bond of them changing into household was one other space that stood out. In an identical regard, I may additionally deliver up the instance of Cahciua and Erenville and their bond collectively as household as effectively.”
With these household bonds now solid, it seems like we’re on the point of set off to pastures new. Fairly the place that’ll be stays to be seen: The frozen waters of Blindfrost, in Othard’s North? Meracydia, maybe? Your guess is pretty much as good as mine, however I would be sure to pack your finest fight gear for this journey.
In the event you’re after one thing totally different to fill the months whereas we wait, we have rounded up the most effective new MMOs in 2025, together with the most effective fantasy video games on PC at this time.
Wish to share your wildest FF14 theories and hypothesis with us? You are able to do so by way of the PCGamesN group Discord server, so let me know the place you assume 8.0 is headed.
Extra reporting by Jamie Hore at Gamescom.
