Over the weekend, SQUARE ENIX announced the next major FINAL FANTASY XIV Online expansion, Evercold during the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim, California. Evercold will be the beginning of the “Godless Realms” saga, marking a new chapter in the game’s story.

The FINAL FANTASY XIV development team revealed several major announcements during the keynote presentation. Here are the key highlights at a glance:

• FINAL FANTASY XIV will release on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 2026: A free early access period will begin a month before release, available for all Nintendo Switch 2 players.
• Upcoming Alliance Raid series brings EVANGELION to FINAL FANTASY XIV: Titled “Ghosts of Desire,” it will serve as the Alliance Raid for the upcoming expansion, Evercold. Alliance Raids are part of FINAL FANTASY XIV’s endgame, consisting of a 24 players encounter against a series of bosses. Further details will be announced at a later date.
• Two new jobs will be added in Evercold, a Tank and a Physical Ranged DPS: The first job will be unveiled at the Berlin Fan Festival.

Alongside the new expansion, systemic changes will be implemented in FINAL FANTASY XIV, aiming to evolve the game for existing and new players. These upcoming changes include:

• Shadowbringers expansion included in FINAL FANTASY XIV Online’s free trial: On April 28, the critically acclaimed third expansion, Shadowbringers, becomes available as part of the game’s free trial. New players can complete A Realm Reborn and the game’s first three expansions, Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers, all for free.
• “Seasons” to be introduced to FINAL FANTASY XIV in Evercold: Starting from Patch 8.0, every two patches added to the game will be classified as a “Season” (for example: Patch 7.0 and Patch 7.1 would be considered as one Season). This does not involve any season pass or additional cost. This new model aims to make it easier for players to understand upcoming changes to the game.
• New “Reborn” and streamlined “Evolved” play modes: Reborn Mode will use the current combat system and job mechanics, while Evolved Mode offers a more streamlined gameplay experience (for example: some series of actions are consolidated into combos triggered by one button), with greater emphasis on job identity. Players can switch between modes anytime outside of combat.

The next FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin, Germany is scheduled for July 25th and 26th. More details about the Evercold expansion and upcoming changes to FINAL FANTASY XIV will be revealed.