FFXIV Evercold Gets a Date, Reveals Crossbow Job Zephyr

Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold is no longer a January 2027 release. During the Fan Festival 2026 keynote in Tokyo, Square Enix confirmed the sixth expansion will launch on February 23, 2027, with early access for those who preorder starting on February 19. That’s roughly a four-week delay from the window announced in Anaheim back in April, which was already earlier in the year than Final Fantasy XIV expansions usually arrive. Preorders open on November 4, and the keynote kicked off with the full opening cinematic for the expansion, which follows the extended teaser from Berlin.

The keynote also finally revealed Evercold’s second job, and it’s the one fans guessed months ago based on the character Visna. Zephyr is the expansion’s physical ranged DPS job, wielding a crossbow with support from an avian familiar. Like Bastion, the dual greatshield tank revealed in Berlin, Zephyr starts at level 90, with its quest chain beginning in Gridania, and it’s only playable in Evolved Mode, the new battle system that puts more emphasis on job identity. Both new jobs are off limits in Reborn Mode, which keeps the current combat system and job mechanics intact for players who don’t want the overhaul.

On the world side, the keynote introduced Sessrymnir, the Realmship of Earth, joining Naglfar (Water) and Hringhorni (Fire) as the floating Realmships players will spend much of the expansion aboard above the frozen wastes of the Fourth. As a refresher, Evercold raises the level cap from 100 to 110, lets players choose the order of certain areas after a point in the main scenario, and introduces Auto Content Balancing, which scales duties and field enemies to the party so cross-level matching works in the expansion’s new areas.

For those planning to preorder, the Evercold Collector’s Bundle that was shown off in Berlin includes a special art box, a Reaper figure, an Ethos metal keychain, a Köttr mini plush, and a Tapestry of the Fourth, along with the digital items: the Crystal Skyltborg weapon for Bastion, the Vallhallar Odin mount, and the Entreat Crystal emote. The expansion is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC via Windows, Mac, and Steam, and it’s the first expansion launch for the Switch 2 version that arrived on August 4.

While it is disappointing, a month’s delay doesn’t bother me much, especially with how much is changing under the hood with 8.0. Final Fantasy XIV remains one of the best games I’ve ever played, and as I said in my Dawntrail review, that expansion took very few risks and was never going to match Shadowbringers or Endwalker in storytelling. I said back in April that I hoped the Fourth could recapture some of the Shadowbringers feel, and after Berlin I was more excited for Evercold than I expected to be. The Tokyo keynote is streaming on Twitch and YouTube, with the piano concert streaming on October 31 and THE PRIMALS on November 1 as paid streams.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Evercold – New Job: Zephyr