Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail will receive Patch 7.1 sometime in mid-November, as revealed during the latest Letter from the Producer Live broadcast streamed during Tokyo Game Show 2024. Fans of Final Fantasy XIV will know what to expect, but Patch 7.1 adds new main scenario quests, the first part of the Final Fantasy XI crossover alliance raid series, new Allied Society quests, and more. The patch is titled Crossroads, and the key art featuring Prishe from Final Fantasy XI suggests that she will likely play a major role in the alliance raid, Echoes of Vana’diel.
Perhaps the most exciting addition is the first-ever high-difficulty 24-player alliance raid, titled The Cloud of Darkness (Chaotic). It will be joined by the new trial, The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden, and a new Unreal trial for The Jade Stoa. All eyes will be on the race for the world’s first in the Futures Rewritten Ultimate raid, which is also teased in the key art, featuring Ryne wearing a version of Gaia’s outfit.
Players will get to complete allied society quests for the Pelupelu that are designed for battle classes and jobs. Nitowikwe will be the new Custom Delivery client, while there will also be a new role quest story for those who have completed all Dawntrail role quests. Similarly, a new Wachumeqimeqi story will unlock upon completing all associated quests. Hildibrand fans can look forward to Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures with 7.1.
Other additions in the patch include New Game+ support for Dawntrail 7.0, duty support for the non-main scenario dungeon Halatali, player housing updates with the ability to select interior designs from different residential areas, and updates to the Hall of the Novice, along with NPC voiceovers added to Doman Mahjong.
As a long-time player of Final Fantasy XIV, I found Dawntrail to be somewhat of a mixed bag, though I acknowledge it was always going to be difficult for the team to follow up on the excellent Endwalker expansion, which concluded the Hydaelyn vs. Zodiark storyline.
