The latest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter has been published with the news that the team is gearing up to start alpha testing the upcoming "Realm Reborn" iteration of the game. The team has a new trailer to share which is what much of the letter discusses.

And what a rebirth it’s gonna be! The disaster that will usher in the Seventh Umbral Era is threatening Eorzea with darkness and danger. The themes of destruction and rebirth are more powerful than ever for FFXIV, and so what better time to drop a few keywords in the trailers to hint at what’s on the way in the wake of the coming catastrophe. I think it’s a little something special for those playing the game now, since it shows the worlds of the current version and the future version side by side in a way that hasn’t been done before.

Read the full letter on the Final Fantasy XIV forum.

Gotta give credits to Square to go back working on a title already launched.. Hope they'll do it right this time..

Checked the official website, but can't seem to find what's new with the relaunch of the game.. Anyone can point me to where I can find the new features ?

The whole engine is being replaced and the world map reworked. The combat system will be changing as well. A whole new game that is based on the original release in races and classes only.

The screen shots of the new game look so much nicer than the original and it should also run better.

More info is always coming in so we don't know it all yet.

As a long time Final Fantasy fan I found FFXIV to be really dissappointing. That being said I am blown away by the changes the game has made since launch. I've been playing actively since January and it just keeps getting better and better!

Like @Kebeck said, you've really got to hand it to the new FFXIV team for kicking things into high gear. I feel they'll do okay for themselves even if the game isn't a blockbuster hit ^_^

I liked Final Fantasy XIV, I did. I liked the beta and when the game came out I bought the CE and liked it quite a bit. I didn't see the incredible problems with it that others did...at first. But over time I saw how limited it was in so many areas. Beyond the beauty of the trees was very shallow water. I had hope they would improve it, as FFXI was one of my favorite online titles.

And so I'm excited for a Realm Reborn because it sounds like they're really trying. That being said, I will NOT be drawn in by a CG trailer. I'm tired of games throwing out trailers featuring cut scenes and no gameplay, and that people get all misty eyed over them. I remember when Old Republic had their epic trailer featuring the jedi's battling the sith and everyone talked about how bad ass the game looked. Though I also enjoyed that game, it fell far short of its hype.

So I will say this about the trailer for FFXIV - It looks pretty. It certainly looks expensive. But if you want to win me over, show me some new gameplay, not the same old song and dance. I want you to succeed, but I won't put out over sweet whispering in my ear.

I'm excited for the PS3 version!

Hurry!

Looks like they are better doin a movie trailer -than a game.

I really wanted to like this game- heck i dropped my mmos and bought the CE for it. and the gameplay was so console based and pc unfriendly. it turned me off. i even bought the FF14 console  pc controller-LOL(...cry).

I give em props for sticking to the game and attempting to restrocture it- i wish i could actually see the changes. good luck to them. sometimes a cookie cutter mmo structure is best in some games- like this one should of followed.

Originally posted by Kebeck

Gotta give credits to Square to go back working on a title already launched.. Hope they'll do it right this time..

 

Checked the official website, but can't seem to find what's new with the relaunch of the game.. Anyone can point me to where I can find the new features ?

new engine

combat,skills

bosses,world map

animation 

UI

almost everything.

and that moon u saw in the video,in every patch you will see it closer and closer to the planet the players are xd

I'm certainly looking forward to giving FFXIV "A Realm Reborn" another go...

Outline of Patch schedule & version 2.0 details (A Realm Reborn), please click    HERE

Originally posted by Terranah
Cinematics are useless.  Show us specifics.   I thought the game had charm in the appearance dept. but it was HORRIBLE to play.  I am a believer in second chances though and if the game was improved I'd give it another look.  But cinematics will not convince me, I want video of specifically what has changed.

It had meaning to the people who actually play the game. I'm sorry that they made a trailer for their devoted fans, and not the MMORPG hoppers. 

The gameplay videos are coming.

Originally posted by Terranah
Cinematics are useless.  Show us specifics.   I thought the game had charm in the appearance dept. but it was HORRIBLE to play.  I am a believer in second chances though and if the game was improved I'd give it another look.  But cinematics will not convince me, I want video of specifically what has changed.

2nd ff14 always had good graphics, the gameplay boxed in world even in instances, and horrible ui/gameplay mechanics with a copy-pasta world is what destroyed this game.

I'll get it for the ps3 maybe, however I'm not going to even try it on my beloved pc again. All my ps3 is, is a dust collecter so it can stand more torture if it is as bad as the previous version. I will never damage my pc with another ff install thou.

We just have to hang in there for another 8-11 days for some gameplay footage.

They announced on the FFXIV facebook that we can expect some gameplay footage at Gamescom 2012 in Cologne, Germany.

http://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV.

"FINAL FANTASY XIV producer/director Naoki Yoshida will be attending Gamescom 2012 in Cologne, Germany from Thursday, August 16th to Sunday, August 19th. He will be delivering a series of exciting presentations during the event, including a world-first gameplay demonstration. Fans will also have a chance to get his autograph at special signing sessions on the 17th and 18th.

For information regarding the autograph sessions, please visit: http://sqex.to/8Ly"

Originally posted by Jimmydean

Originally posted by Terranah
Cinematics are useless.  Show us specifics.   I thought the game had charm in the appearance dept. but it was HORRIBLE to play.  I am a believer in second chances though and if the game was improved I'd give it another look.  But cinematics will not convince me, I want video of specifically what has changed.

It had meaning to the people who actually play the game. I'm sorry that they made a trailer for their devoted fans, and not the MMORPG hoppers. 

The gameplay videos are coming.

You do realize most of their money would come from these "MMO hoppers" and it would be in their best interest to make something for them as well so they're more likely to get people to purchase the game so they can you know... continue to operate?

Originally posted by prpshrt

Originally posted by Jimmydean

Originally posted by Terranah
Cinematics are useless.  Show us specifics.   I thought the game had charm in the appearance dept. but it was HORRIBLE to play.  I am a believer in second chances though and if the game was improved I'd give it another look.  But cinematics will not convince me, I want video of specifically what has changed.

It had meaning to the people who actually play the game. I'm sorry that they made a trailer for their devoted fans, and not the MMORPG hoppers. 

The gameplay videos are coming.

You do realize most of their money would come from these "MMO hoppers" and it would be in their best interest to make something for them as well so they're more likely to get people to purchase the game so they can you know... continue to operate?

Nope actually I'm pretty sure MMO hoppers won't help at all. True FF fans will be the ones paying the bill, including the ones who have stuck with the game through tough times.  There will be gameplay videos and such coming to draw new people in, but I don't see why people have to be so negative when SE does something for the people who have been paying their bills for the last 2 years.