FFXIV: Dawntrail Releases Launch Trailer and Leaves Almost Too Many Questions

The official launch trailer for Final Fantasy 14’s new and impending expansion, Dawntrail, was released last night as part of last night’s Letter from the Producer Live. The new video previews some of the storyline and gameplay available in the new expansion, which takes place in the continent of Tural, inspired by South American and Southeast Asian cultures. 

TRAILER/DAWNTRAIL SPOILERS BELOW: YOU’VE BEEN WARNED 

We see already that a storm troubles our adventurer, and the game hints that bigger trials are yet to come. Already, in Endwalker’s final patch content, fan-favorite female Hrothgar Wuk Lamat told players that she wishes the Warrior of Light to join her for a rite of succession, which is teased throughout the trailer. 

But more importantly to some, we finally see more of areas that baffled players: Solution 9, a “futuristic” city mirroring Cyberpunk 2077 more than anything, and with a name taken from Final Fantasy 9. It’s implied to either be, or be related to the fabled “City of Gold,” and a land where life is suspended, and nobody ages—but, of course, that can’t all be neon sunshine and artificial rainbows, right? And not to mention, there are soldiers in there that look awfully familiar from some Endwalker details (though the game’s been known to reuse assets). 

Oh, and the city’s tech is seen pew-pewing people of Tulliyollal. That’s usually bad, but FFXIV launch trailers are known for being wildly deceptive about the nature of certain plot points. (Remember the moon?) 

What’s going to be on everyone’s minds for the next two weeks, though, are the things that the trailer brings up… and leaves unanswered. Obviously, that’s the point of a trailer at all, drawing the player into the plot and world of the game so they’re intrigued and buy in. But given what we’ve been told versus what this trailer gives a peek at, your local FFXIV catgirl is just a little confused.  

First of all, what exactly does this rite of succession for the leadership role of “Dawnservant” actually look like? We’ve been made to believe it has to do in some capacity with might, but it’s sort of confusing what the actual hands-on portions entail. Either way, we also don’t understand what the stakes of peace are, especially if the diverse peoples of Tural have already negotiated such under the current Dawnservant. 

Further, if the area around Solution 9 has existed all along, how have they not been discovered? Does that mean this area was the secret of eternal life all along? And are we actually going to learn more about Allagans, given just about everything seems an extension of their technologies? 

Finally, is Solution 9 just Austin or Dallas, Texas? I’m hell-bent on this theory. Seriously, try to tell me I’m wrong so far. 

We do know the answer to one pressing question thanks to the Live Letter: For those characters with two heads, we do know each has a uniqe personality, and a unique voice actor. Nice. 

Anyway, the producers by way of the Live Letter are secretive about a “Heritage Found” area shown, they always also hide one extra area from us, so let’s look forward to whatever that twist is. Whatever the case, the game's massive swathe of general game updates, including female Hrothgar and the graphics update, have everyone excited, and I'm sure everyone is excited for fresh new content after this slower patch cycle. 

Last night's Live Letter does also go over some character and area synopses, as well as some of the combat, changes, and gameplay we'll see.