Final Fantasy XIV is set to end the year strong, with the developers today announcing the next major patch. Final Fantasy XIV 5.4 “Futures Rewritten” will set players out on a new main scenario following the finale of the Shadowbringers expansion.

Patch notes for this next major update are just part of the story. Today, Square Enix also confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV will be playable on PS5 via backwards compatibility mode. It will use the game's PS4 Pro graphics settings, while the PS5's SSD will bring a big boost to load times.

Here are the current patch notes for Update 5.4:

• New Main Scenario Quests – Following the grand conclusion of the Shadowbringers story in Patch 5.3, players will set out on a new adventure.
• New Raid Dungeon: Eden’s Promise – The third chapter in the 8-player Eden raid series brings new challenging battles available as both normal and savage difficulties.
• Chronicles of a New Era – The Sorrow of Werlyt Updates – The next chapter in “The Sorrow of Werlyt” questline will introduce Emerald Weapon.
• New Trial: Emerald Weapon – Players can challenge Emerald Weapon in both normal and extreme difficulties.
• New Dungeon: Matoya’s Relict – Players can tackle this new challenge alongside fellow adventurers, or a party of non-player characters, using the Trust system.
• New Unreal Trial – The next powered-up version of an existing primal will be unleashed upon level 80 heroes in Patch 5.4, providing a new challenge and a chance at unique prizes.
• Blue Mage Update – The limited job will receive a number of new updates, including an increased level cap, new blue magic to learn from enemies, new job-specific equipment, and additions to the Blue Mage Log.
• New “Explorer Mode” – This new gameplay mode will allow players to traverse Shadowbringers dungeons without the danger of enemies in order to take screenshots. Players can also summon both mounts and minions within dungeons using this mode to further enhance their screenshots.
• Performance Action Update – Playable instruments have been expanded to include the violin.
• Triple Triad Updates – In addition to revised match rules and UI enhancements, new limited-time tournaments will be held, which will also be available via the Duty Finder.
• Ishgard Restoration Update – The fourth and final stage of the Restoration of the Holy See of Ishgard begins.
• “Save the Queen” Update – New large-scale battle content and the opportunity to further enhance Resistance weapons arrives in the next chapter of this multi-part adventure featuring a scenario written by renowned game designer Yasumi Matsuno (FINAL FANTASY Tactics, FINAL FANTASY XII).
• Adjustments to PvE and PvP actions, updates to Ocean Fishing and Doman Mahjong, treasure hunt dungeon updates, new UI skins, and more.

The 5.4 update will be coming in December. Before that though, patch 5.35 will be arriving on the 13th of October, bringing the ‘Save the Queen' questline, written by designer Yasumi Matsuno, best known for his work on Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII.

KitGuru Says: I've been diving back into Final Fantasy XIV more recently to check out the new player experience improvements added in Update 5.3. Have many of you been playing Final Fantasy XIV this year? Are you looking forward to the next major content update?

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