A new Final Fantasy XIV expansion was revealed by Square Enix at their 2026 Fan Festival in Anaheim, California. Named “Evercold,” it will mark the beginning of the MMORPG’s next chapter, in both story and gameplay.
Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 is well underway in Anaheim, California. And as per tradition, Square Enix took it as an opportunity to reveal the next expansion for its critically acclaimed MMORPG. Titled “Evercold,” it is slated to release in January 2027. It marks the beginning of the “Godless Saga,” which is likely to span across multiple expansions, like the Hydaelyn-Zodiark saga before it.
Evercold will have us explore The Fourth reflection created by the Sundering, a world parallel to ours. As the name implies, and if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, this world is slowly succumbing to an ever-present cold. And if new zones, dungeons, raids, and characters are the standard for an MMO expansion, Square Enix wants Evercold to go beyond player expectations.
Notably, the expansion will feature what producer and director Naoki Yoshida (“Yoshi-P,”) and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox refer to as “Game Design Updates.” They went over many of these during a lengthy presentation while keeping some secrets for their next Fan Festivals. One of which will be happening in Berlin this July. First of these “Game Design Updates” is a switch from daily to weekly activities. This change was made with busier players in mind, making it harder to miss on these ever-precious Allagan Tomestones.
It will also be possible to synchronize your highest item level between the jobs you play. Currently, item levels are split across jobs (FFXIV’s equivalent of classes.) If a player does not meet the required item level for a specific piece of content, they will be locked out of it. In Evercold, you will be able to play any job you like in all content, provided you have at least one job with a high enough item level to access it. Yoshi-P, with Koji Fox’s translation, explains: “This new feature means that you now have more freedom to choose how and what you want to play. For example, maybe you wanted to help out with a savage raid, but you didn’t have the right gear, or you wanted to go as one job, but it hadn’t been leveled up and you wouldn’t be able to go.”
Speaking of jobs, Evercold not only promises two brand-new original jobs but also different ways to play the older ones. “Evolved Mode” will include new abilities for all 21 jobs besides the newcomers, promising an “emphasis on individuality.” And if you ever feel nostalgic, “Reborn Mode” will let you play the old way you are already familiar with. While the new Evolved Mode will require less actions and fewer buttons to press, Yoshi-P wants to reassure those who might see it as an “easy-inputs” type of system: “Oh, so it’s just an easy mode? No. In no way is Evolved Mode a simplified watered-down version of Reborn Mode.”
Last but certainly not least is the announcement of a collaboration with the popular animated series “Neon Genesis Evangelion” for Evercold’s future 24-player raid. While no further details were communicated, this is not the first time a partnership with a different IP has been done for a Final Fantasy XIV raid, as the Shadowbringers expansion featured a collaboration with the NieR series. And from patch 7.5 and onwards, which is releasing the 28th of April, Shadowbringers will be included in Final Fantasy XIV’s free trial, making it the perfect time for newcomers to jump in and catch up before Evercold’s release.
