^{Image: Square Enix}

Square Enix has revealed a 10-year roadmap for Final Fantasy 14, which includes a host of long-awaited updates.

Following the explosive success of Final Fantasy 14’s latest expansion Endwalker, Square Enix has outlined a 10-year roadmap to continue improving the game. Game director Naoki Yoshida also made clear that NFTs are not part of this roadmap and will not be added to the MMORPG, causing players everywhere to breathe a sigh of relief after Square Enix's president Yosuke Matsuda expressed interest in them.

The roadmap was detailed during a recent ‘Letter from the Producer’ livestream, where Final Fantasy 14 developers outlined future changes to the game that players can look forward to. Some of these changes will happen as soon as April in Patch 6.1, while others could take closer to two years to be fully implemented.

The biggest change is the game’s first graphical update. The livestream made it hilariously clear that Square Enix isn’t aiming for photorealism - just all around improved visuals. Characters are getting better-looking skin, gear and hair with higher-resolution textures. The game’s lighting, animation and shadows are being reworked as well. Environments will also see some improvements in foliage and ambient effects.

This is all part of an effort to future-proof Final Fantasy 14 for its next decade of service, but the team is tinkering with other aspects of the game to extend its lifespan too. The game’s Trust system, which allows solo players to head into dungeons with NPCs in tow, will soon be expanded into all Main Scenario Quest dungeons and 4-player Trials. This means that solo players can soon complete most story-related dungeons by themselves. Other future updates will similarly make the game more accessible to solo players.

If you’re looking to jump into Final Fantasy 14 for the first time, here’s some good news: the game’s Free Trial will resume from February 22 onwards. Square Enix temporarily suspended this Free Trial after the release of Endwalker saw a massive influx of players, but the gates are finally being reopened for all new players. With more content updates on the way, there’s never been a better time to see what all the fuss is about.

Square Enix's 10-year roadmap for Final Fantasy 14 has graphical upgrades and zero NFTs