In the 85th Letter from the Producer, Naoki Yoshida announced the new content for Patch 7.2 of Final Fantasy XIV. Included is the new Field Exploration, the MMO content that players have been waiting for since the last expansion.
What are Field Explorations? Field Explorations are large, standalone zones where players can explore together and work towards objectives. The fun lies in exploring a new, very active zone with over 70 fellow players.
Regularly, new boss enemies spawn and battles arise that need to be tackled in large groups. By successfully completing certain events, more will be unlocked, leading up to 48-player raids that can only be played there.
Since this type of content brings all players together at least subjectively and creates a sense of community, is a lot of fun, and can be repeated over and over, many Final Fantasy XIV subscribers have been hoping for this announcement for quite some time.
With Patch 7.2, the new Field Exploration is set to go live in Final Fantasy XIV at the end of March. What we know so far about it and what other content has been announced for the update can be read in this news article.
The popular MMO content is back – This time even with new jobs
What are the features of Kreszentia (Eng. Occult Crescent)? The new Field Exploration takes place in the Final Fantasy XIV version of the Bermuda Triangle, in the Triangle of Death. There lies an unexplored island waiting to be explored.
As in Eureka and Bozja, players can expect large areas with free-roaming monsters. Additionally, regular boss battles are expected to start again. A new 48-player raid akin to Delubrum Reginae will also be included.
What makes the new Field Exploration special? There are two special features that Kreszentia brings:
On one hand, players will collect knowledge levels
during their explorations that will make battles against the area’s monsters easier. On the other hand, they can equip up to two so-called phantom jobs
in addition to their normal jobs.
These are currently classes not available in the game that unlock new actions and thus change the player’s style of play. The following were shown during the stream:
- Bard
- Monk
- Geomancer
- Ranger
- Berserker
- Time Mage
- Chemist
- Gunner
However, there would be more phantom jobs, Naoki Yoshida stated. More information about this is supposed to come in the next Letter from the Producer.
An endgame for crafters and gatherers: The Cosmo Explorations
What does the endgame look like for crafters and gatherers? With Patch 7.2, the Cosmo Explorations are also set to start. Similar to the Restoration of Ishgard, crafters and gatherers will work together here.
Instead of rebuilding a war-torn city, they will travel from planet to planet and colonize them. According to the screenshots, they will start on the moon, which has already been accessible since Endwalker. From 7.2 onward, a new planet will be unlocked for building with every patch.
Similar to Ishgard, the goal here is to complete orders and finish events. After each successful event, new buildings will spawn. Thus, the surroundings will slowly but steadily fill up.
The reward for the restoration of Ishgard was the unlocking of the new housing district Heavensward. What players can expect at the end of the Cosmo Explorations is not yet known.
Patch 7.2 with new main story, Hildibrand, and more
In addition to the Field Explorations and the Cosmo Explorations, there are more content updates. Here is a summary of them:
- New main story quests
- New allied tribes quests – the Mamool Ja
- New Hildibrand quests
- New quests related to Master Mais
- New Allagan Mathematics Stones
- Side by side for the dungeon
Sunken Temple of Quarn
- PvP Series 8 begins
- PvP action adjustments & new PvP actions
- Frontline (Securing) returns, improved
- New dungeon: The Underkeep
- The Arkadion: Cruiserweight Tier – Normal and Epic
- New Trial: Recollection (Selenia) – Normal and Epic
- Dream Trial – Soul Storm – Suzaku
As soon as there are new updates on the content of the next patch, you will naturally find them at MeinMMO. In fact, many of the announced contents had already been anticipated: The prospects of a new Field Exploration, a new trial, and a possibly really good main story even lured one of the most popular YouTubers for Final Fantasy XIV out of retirement.
