Square Enix has announced Heavensward, the first expansion to the rebooted MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. The expansion will contain a number of items, including a controversial cash shop.
The new expansion will raise the level cap to 60, and include a "storyline focused on how to get to the heavens."
The expansion will also feature a new unannounced race including both male and female genders, the ability for free companies (guilds) to build airships, new jobs, new Primals (boss-like enemies based on summons in previous Final Fantasy games) including an original primal for Final Fantasy XIV, and of course, new areas and “many new dungeons, not just three or four."
The expansion will also apparently introduced a new cash shop, which has been met with some harsh controversy considering its subscription-based payment at the moment. Currently details on the shop are limited, but the event did reveal that there will be no pay to win items and that it will most likely contain previous seasonal event items and minions. A Sleipnir mount will be available for purchase as well.
Lead Producer Naoki Yoshida allegedly teased more announcements to come at the London fan fest on October 25, 2014. It appears no mention was made of the Gold Saucer or Chocobo racing which Yoshida talked about in a Q&A session recently.
Additional features are coming to Final Fantasy XIV via patch 2.4 Dreams of Ice, including new jobs, dungeons and storyline. You can check out a trailer for that patch below.
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward is the MMO’s first expansion and will launch in Spring 2015. We'll hopefully have more official details shortly.