Square Enix has delayed the release of Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming expansion, Evercold, pushing its early access launch to February 19 and the full release to February 23. Producer Naoki Yoshida announced the adjustment at Fan Fest Tokyo, citing quality concerns as the primary reason for the shift.
Yoshida stated that while the core features were progressing on schedule for a late January release, additional time is needed to ensure the expansion meets the studio's quality standards and delivers on its promised features. Pre-orders for Evercold are set to begin on November 4.
Evercold introduces several new systems to Final Fantasy XIV, including a more flexible main story quest progression that allows players to tackle objectives in a less linear order. The expansion will also feature an auto-balance adjustment system designed to equalize enemy levels and duty difficulty for players who may join instances at different progression points. Furthermore, the game's progression system is being updated from a daily to a weekly model, granting players more flexibility and the ability to earn rewards from previous weeks if missed.
A new "Evolved" battle style is also being implemented to streamline combat. Yoshida indicated that this system is still undergoing refinement, particularly for existing jobs and role actions outside of the expansion's specific content. Square Enix plans to dedicate a future Live Letter to a detailed explanation of the Evolved mode before Evercold's launch.
To access Evercold during its early access period, players will need an active subscription, a pre-order of the expansion, and have registered their pre-order bonus code.