Final Fantasy 14 patch 6.5 is officially called Growing Light and it releases in early October.
That comes from director and producer Naoki Yoshida, who reveals the news as part of the latest Live Letter from the Producer stream, which is airing straight from Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest.
The main thrust of the patch is more story content. While typical for an FF14 patch, it's more notable this time as the MMO's x.5 patch is typically where the narrative shifts towards the upcoming expansion. This time around, that's Dawntrail, which was officially unveiled the other day.
The first half of patch 6.5's story releases in October 2023, whereas the second half is due mid-January 2024 in a follow-up update. A big part of the story will continue the focus on fan-favourite character Zero, who is journeying to The First before coming across Ryne. Things will, however, begin to shift as we eye up Dawntrail next year. The move towards the next big expansion will be subtle at first, though Yoshi-P says the branching story narratives will come together in no time at all.
Speaking of Dawntrail, details are thin on the ground, though we know we're heading to the world of Tural to aid a succession conflict, one that'll divide the Scions down the middle. It's not all doom and gloom, though, as Yoshi-P wants this to feel like the best summer vacation ever, especially given the high stakes that came with Endwalker. Yoshi-P has also confirmed that Final Fantasy 14 is getting two new DPS jobs, and the race is on to figure out what they are.
So, what else are we getting with Final Fantasy 14 patch 6.5? Alongside pivotal story content, you're getting trust system support for the Stormblood main scenario dungeons, the second and third Criterion dungeons, an additional area for Island Sanctuary, alongside the conclusion to the Pandæmonium and the grandiose Myths of the Realm raid series.
In other news, Final Fantasy 14's Free Trial is extending to include Stormblood, and the MMO finally makes the trip to Xbox next year, though a beta kicks off with patch 6.5 later this year.
