FFXIV 6.25 Release Date & Patch Notes

FFXIV 6.25 Release Date

Patch 6.25, releases on Tuesday, October 18!

Get ready for more Hildibrand, Manderville weapons, Omicron quests, and the debut of Variant and Criterion dungeons!

We can expect FFXIV Patch 6.25 in October 18, 2022. It will feature the new Tribal Quests with the Omicron on Ultima Thule, which focuses on gathering — get your Disciples of the Land ready. We will also get our first Variant and Criterion Dungeon in Patch 6.25, a new type of content featuring dungeons with multiple paths and variable difficulty. Last but not least, Patch 6.25 brings a new wave of Hildibrand Quests which is tied to the Endwalker series of relic weapons.

Patch 6.2 for Final Fantasy XIV was a boon for players. The FFXIV team delivered on nearly every front in terms of new content — a wild raid tier in Abyssos, revelatory story quests with new characters, the much-anticipated chill vibes of Island Sanctuary, and meaningful revamps to older stuff. It dropped in late August, and we’ve covered it from every angle. But with some time away from the patch, and 6.25 right around the corner, we had a moment to reflect on where FFXIV is going.

I had an opportunity to send a few questions over email to director and producer Naoki Yoshida. From where the game is now to where it’s going in the future, it seems like the FFXIV team has a post-Hydaelyn world figured out.

“Given that we’re embarking on a new adventure this time, I was most careful about not losing momentum,” Yoshida replied when I asked him about how the development team is handling expectations for FFXIV’s next era. He followed up and said, “Endwalker provided closure for everyone’s exhilaration, which was precisely why it was important to stoke the fire for the next thrill. A build-up of excitement, feeling the thrill, embarking on an adventure into the unknown – I believe these are what players are looking for, so I want to be mindful of those expectations.”

Zero is the latest addition to the core FFXIV cast, making her debut in Patch 6.2 MSQ.

That thrill Yoshida mentions is due in large part to the story FFXIV tells. For those who are caught up on the latest story content in Patch 6.2, we have newcomers like the quickly-grown satrap in Varshahn and the Void-native Reaper named Zero taking on lead roles as we venture through an uncharted realm. However, much of this current arc is rooted in Final Fantasy IV, using the classic entry as a point of reference. Golbez and the Four Fiends are the current focus of villainy, but nothing is ever that simple in FFXIV.

Yoshida hinted at something bigger, saying, “I hope you’ll stay tuned to see how the story will unfold from here.” But with regards to continuing to use FFIV as source material, he said, “I had resolved to avoid flaunting references to FFIV until we eventually took players to the moon, so now I’m letting it all out.” Between the Barbariccia trial, the use of the FFIV boss battle theme, and all the references and motifs in between, FFXIV is laying it on thick — which some of us are enjoying quite a lot.

He reiterated his previous statement about how FFXIV is, in part, a Final Fantasy theme park. Yet, there’s a fine line between being referential and going overboard. “This applies to any title in the series that we incorporate, but while we want people to feel the nostalgia, we also make sure our story is still original,” Yoshida said. He continued, “The same approach was used this time around as well.”

Much of what makes FFXIV so enjoyable are the small things. Players hold the game in high regard for its storytelling and impressive set-piece battles, but Patch 6.2 was another example of how a variety of side activities round out the experience. FFXIV regularly gives players something new to do in addition to the expected content, and Island Sanctuary was the most-recent highlight. The crafting, gathering, and base management proved to be an easy-going endeavor (unless you’re aggressively playing the Handicraft market), and there’s more of it on the way.

Island Sanctuary has been a nice filler between daily roulettes and weekly raid clears.

“We plan to open more areas in which to construct facilities, add more types of facilities, and of course, address feedback from our players,” Yoshida said regarding what’s next for Island Sanctuary. He concluded, “We’ll be maintaining the concept of making the Island Sanctuary a place where players can freely enjoy at their own pace.” Whatever is in store, we can expect it in the upcoming 6.x patches, as mentioned in previous Live Letters.

Criterion and Variant Dungeons are an all-new type of instance, which debut in Patch 6.25 later this month. And I hope you’ve done your Hildibrand quests to get ready for the next relic weapons. In terms of shaking up the core of FFXIV, Yoshida doesn’t seem too concerned about making significant changes to the established formula. Rather, it seems the team is more focused on the game’s quality of life and long-term sustainability for now.

“The plans I’ve announced so far, including accommodating solo playstyles and offering new types of content, are the entirety of the challenges we’re currently pushing forward with,” Yoshida said in reply to a question about the most pressing matters they face and if there are concerns about shaking up the current formula.

The big ticket item as we approach the next expansion and Patch 7.0 is the graphics overhaul, which was outlined in a Live Letter earlier this year. It’s a major piece in modernizing FFXIV, and it’s not the only one. Recently, Europe got new servers, Japan got restructured data centers, and Oceania servers went live. And while new North American servers are still being worked, it’s been a key focus, especially considering the congestion troubles around Endwalker‘s launch.

An example of how character models and lighting are being touched up for the graphics overhaul in FFXIV come Patch 7.0.

“Naturally, the graphical update isn’t the only challenge we’re undertaking; we’re also working on future-proofing with significant server expansions, as well as investing in infrastructure and other aspects,” Yoshida mentioned. “Outside of that, well… I suppose that depends on what sort of ideas we have for the [Patch] 7.X series. I know I’m already wracking my brain over it (laughs),” he typed out, probably giggling to himself.

FFXIV has a much higher profile now, and with more eyes on the game than ever before, ushering the game into a new era also means taking care of the not-so flashy aspects like servers and improving the user experience. Though I have noticed over the years of playing FFXIV, new ideas explored in patch content are often a testbed for something we’ll see in the future. However that may manifest in the next expansions or set of patches, it’ll be exciting to parse when the time comes.

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Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXIII Airs Saturday, 8 October

The next Letter from the Producer LIVE broadcast is almost upon us! In the first half, we'll reflect on Patch 6.2 and review the exciting new content coming up in Patch 6.25. Then, in the second half, we'll take an exclusive look at the work of FFXIV's Scenario team─don't miss out!

Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXIII

Date & Time

Saturday, 8 October at 04:30 (GMT) / 05:30 (BST) / 15:30 (AEDT)
* Starting time is subject to change.
* Co-streaming is allowed.

Where to Watch

• YouTube Live
• Niconico Live
• Twitch

* These links are identical to those of the 8th 14-hour Broadcast.
* Please note that the presentation slides will include both Japanese and English text, but the presentation audio will be in Japanese only.

Show Details

• Reflecting on Patch 6.2 and Looking Forward to Patch 6.25
• An Introduction to the Work of the Scenario Team

Guests

• Daichi Hiroi (Lead Story Designer)
• Natsuko Ishikawa (Senior Story Designer)
• Banri Oda (Senior Story Designer)

Presenters

• Naoki Yoshida (Producer & Director)
• Toshio Murouchi (Global Community Producer)