The identify of Final Fantasy XIV’s subsequent enlargement has formally been revealed. Introduced in the course of the Final Fantasy XIV North American Fan Pageant’s opening showcase, the following chapter within the recreation’s Godless Realms Saga is titled Evercold, and can observe the participant’s Warrior of Mild as they try and cease the Fourth Reflection from freezing over. Nonetheless, based on recreation director Naoki Yoshida, the upcoming enlargement was very practically named one thing else.
In a press convention held by Yoshida following the showcase, the director defined that Evercold’s unique identify was really rejected by Sq. Enix–and it is not the primary time that is occurred, both.
“Earlier than we settled on [Evercold], there was one other identify candidate that we had. However I imply, that is occurred prior to now as nicely,” Yoshida defined. “For instance, after we have been making an attempt to provide you with a reputation for what grew to become Stormblood, one of many names that got here was Rise up. Sadly that was rejected for numerous causes, together with authorized causes, so we could not select that one. For Shadowbringers, we thought Darkbringers, however that was rejected as nicely. For Endwalker, the candidate was World’s Finish, however that was not attainable both.”
In all of those instances, I would argue the higher title was finally chosen. Following their large success, it is frankly onerous to think about any of those expansions going by something aside from their now-iconic titles. Nonetheless, Yoshida would possibly have been cooking with what was initially proposed for Evercold.
“For this enlargement, I actually needed to go along with Absolute Zero. I used to be excited about what the emblem would seem like and… That was rejected as nicely,” Yoshida stated.
Although Yoshida did not get Absolute Zero, the enlargement’s icy premise stays firmly intact. And for all of us Heavensward sickos, that is undoubtedly thrilling sufficient in itself.
Through the convention, Yoshida additionally opened up concerning the potential for a single-player Final Fantasy XIV game–one much like the collection’ extra conventional entries. The director additionally spoke at size about the entire main adjustments coming to Final Fantasy XIV over the following yr, with specific emphasis on its new Advanced battle mode, same-region participant matching, and the exciting-yet-strangely-executed Change 2 port coming later this yr.