Final Fantasy XIV's next major expansion, Evercold, is slated for release on February 23, 2027. The expansion introduces its second new job, the Zephyr, a physical ranged damage dealer that utilizes a crossbow and is supported by an avian familiar named Nephele.
Producer and director Naoki Yoshida unveiled the Zephyr job during the opening keynote of the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Tokyo. The Zephyr joins the previously announced Bastion, a tank job wielding a greatshield, which was revealed earlier this year at the Fan Festival in Berlin.
Pre-orders for Evercold and its Collector's Box will begin on Wednesday, November 4, at 9 a.m. GMT. Players who pre-order will receive early access to the expansion, along with an in-game Wind-Up Köttr minion and Halone's Earring. The earring provides a 30 percent experience boost when defeating enemies, allowing players to level jobs before Evercold launches.
The Collector's Box, which does not include the game itself or any digital bonuses, contains physical merchandise. These items include an art box featuring an illustration by Yoshitaka Amano, a Warrior of Light figure in reaper attire, an Ethos metal keychain, a Köttr mini plush, and a Tapestry of the Fourth.
A limited Collector's Bundle, available exclusively through the Square Enix Store, combines the Collector's Box with a digital code for the Digital Collector's Edition on Windows or Mac. Players on other platforms, including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and Steam, can purchase the Collector's Box separately and pre-order the Digital Collector's Edition independently. The digital edition includes the Valhallar Odin mount, an Entreat Crystal emote, and the Crystal Skyltborg weapon for the Bastion job.
During the keynote, Square Enix also revealed a new Fierce raid difficulty level, positioned between Normal and Savage. Additionally, a new trailer was shown for the Evangelion: Ghosts of Desire alliance raid crossover, which will feature more challenging eight-player battles centered on some of its bosses. Tetsuya Nomura also contributed new artwork for Beyond the Lifestream, a raid series crossover with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series.
Further updates for Final Fantasy XIV include the Evolved Combat Mode, designed to emphasize each job's unique characteristics, and Seasons, a new system for earning item rewards. Character creation will also be expanded with new Character Action Skins. Subsequent updates, starting from patch 8.1, will introduce expanded housing features, PvP updates, and a revamped companion chocobo system.
Separately, Square Enix confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV has now surpassed 35 million registered accounts worldwide. The full keynote address is available on Twitch, with additional details on Evercold accessible on the official expansion website.