The Benefits of Starting Final Fantasy 14 from the Beginning

While this weekend’s announcement of Final Fantasy 14’s next expansion, Dawntrail, was exciting news for fans, new players may find the prospect of diving into a game with so much story overwhelming. However, producer and director Naoki Yoshida assures potential players that starting from the beginning is the best way to experience the game.

With the game set to launch on Xbox consoles next year, a whole new audience will be looking to embark on their own adventure in Eorzea.

Yoshida compared the game to a TV show that players can binge-watch, emphasizing the Duty Support system as a way for new players to ease into the game without necessarily having to team up with other players.

“With the Duty Support system…we’ve allowed it so that you don’t necessarily have to play with other players, you can go solo and power through the story content,” said Yoshida at a press conference during the Final Fantasy Fan Fest in Las Vegas.

“With the analogy of a TV series, this is like a season six that we are just now releasing, and people might be tempted to say ‘Oh, well just start from six’ but I honestly feel like well, it’s on season six and we’ve made it so that season one is very easy to get through and binge.

“So I think it couldn’t be easier to recommend for [new players] to just start at the beginning and take it from there.”

Yoshida also emphasized that even as expansions are released, older content is still updated and worth playing.

“Even if we release an expansion pack, our previous content is not necessarily old or older, so to speak,” said Yoshida. “We continue to update it, we’ve continued to add new content. Plus it’s very story driven.

“And so, if we have a new expansion pack, would players only focus on the new expansion? Would people be eager to just jump into the new expansion pack? I wonder.”

While some players may be eager to jump into the new content, it is recommended to experience the game’s story from the beginning. However, level skips are available for purchase for players who wish to start at a higher level.

In addition, the game’s upcoming 6.5 patch in October will expand the free trial to include Stormblood up to level 70, giving players a significant portion of the game to explore for free.

Yoshida also expressed his interest in expanding the Final Fantasy 14 universe beyond the game, such as through a TV series. However, he acknowledged that he may not be personally involved in such projects and is open to offers from passionate parties.

“If the 14 team becomes committed to a project like that, we want to make sure that we’re not destroying the image that we have built, or that players have built in their minds, of what Final Fantasy 14 should be, no matter what the medium would be.”

With the announcement of Final Fantasy 14’s next expansion, Dawntrail, fans have even more to look forward to. Stay tuned for more information.