Yoshida also revealed EVANGELION – Ghosts of Desire coming in Evercold. The exciting new alliance raid series is a crossover with the hugely popular Japanese anime, EVANGELION, and will be created in collaboration with khara, Inc., best known for its work on the EVANGELION series. Since EVANGELION’s first television broadcast in 1995, the anime’s mysterious and profound storyline, alongside its innovative and stylish visual expression, has had a profound influence on numerous creators around the world, with the iconic franchise later expanding its library with multiple animated films and a comic adaptation.
During the keynote, Yoshida also announced an unprecedented battle system overhaul with Reborn and Evolved modes coming to the game with the launch of Evercold. Reborn Mode will be based on the current combat system and job mechanics, while Evolved Mode offers greater emphasis on job identity. Further details and live gameplay will be showcased during the development panel on Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim Day 1 and will be available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aCGzxWczCM
*New jobs introduced in Evercold will only be playable using Evolved* mode.
A comprehensive list of additional announcements from today’s keynote related to the upcoming expansion, Evercold, includes:
- Two new jobs: tank and physical ranged DPS
- Level cap increase from 100 to 110
- New cities
- Distinctive new areas
- New gigantic constructs and other monstrous threats to overcome
- New allies to encounter
- New dungeons
- New trials
- A new raid series
- A new Ultimate raid
- PvP updates
- Ongoing content updates, including new gear and crafting recipes, updates to the Duty Support System and more
The launch of Evercold and its subsequent patch series will also allow all FINAL FANTASY XIV players to enjoy various expanded updates to the game’s design, in addition to the battle system changes, such as:
- Seasons: An overhaul to the way players earn rewards and improve their characters
- Armoury Update: To better facilitate playing with multiple jobs
- Expanded Character Customization: More ways to make your character stand out from the crowd
For more information and future updates on Evercold, please visit the teaser site at: https://sqex.to/lTRLy
Further information regarding the FINAL FANTASY XIV Patch 7.5x series was also outlined during the keynote, with details on the Dancing Mad (Ultimate) raid. The patch schedule leading to the release of 8.0 was also detailed, providing players with additional content to look forward to, including:
- Patch 7.5 (releasing April 28) – New main scenario quests, new Trial, and Echoes of Vana’diel Part 3
- Patch 7.51 (releasing June 2) – New Cosmic Exploration Star “Auxesia,” new Custom Deliveries: Tiisol Ja, and Dancing Mad (Ultimate)
- Patch 7.55 (releasing July 28) – New updates to Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures quests, the debut of Occult Crescent: North Horn, and new Phantom Weapon quests
- Patch 7.56 (releasing Sept. 8) – New main scenario quests and introduction of beastmaster
On April 28, the Free Trial for the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online saga will also be expanded to include the highly praised third expansion, Shadowbringers. With all content up to Patch 5.58 soon to be included with not only A Realm Reborn and the Heavensward and Stormblood expansions, there has never been a better time for newcomers to join over 30 million other registered accounts on their adventures. Free Trial players can enjoy hundreds of hours of award-winning gameplay and story experiences equivalent to four full FINAL FANTASY titles, without limit on playtime. Learn more about the Free Trial: https://sqex.to/FFXIVFreeTrial
Finally, SQUARE ENIX President and CEO, Takashi Kiryu, took to the stage to close the keynote and announce the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version of FINAL FANTASY XIV. This version will be arriving in August 2026. We plan to have an early access period, to test server stability, then launch into official service. Adventurers from more platforms than ever before can join together to enjoy this vast world. More details can be found here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/a6ea855ea930740e9f2f42380256b1f522b619b9
The keynote presentation (English language supported) can be viewed on YouTube via the Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim Day 1 live stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aCGzxWczCM
FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim continues through Saturday, April 25. Fans at home can enjoy the stage content live on Twitch and YouTube (Day 1 & Day 2), as well as purchase a range of new in-game items commemorating the event from the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Store. The commemorative items are also available at a discounted price until the launch of Patch 7.5 on Tuesday, April 28. Additionally, this year, both the piano and THE PRIMALS concerts are also available as a paid stream.
Related Links
Evercold Promotional Site: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/evercold/
SQUARE ENIX Press Site: https://www.square-enix-press.com/
Official Player Site, The Lodestone: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV
X: @FF_XIV_EN
Instagram: @ffxiv
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/en.finalfantasyxiv.com
#FFXIV
About EVANGELION
The television series NEON GENESIS EVANGELION became an immediate and widespread sensation upon its first broadcast in 1995.
In 2007, the series was relaunched as the Rebuild of EVANGELION film series. Conceived, written and directed by Hideaki Anno, EVANGELION: 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 were all hugely successful, captivating new fans and garnering much praise from a wide range of audiences.
The fourth and final film in the series, EVANGELION: 3.0 + 1.0, was released on March 8, 2021, after having been postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It recorded 6.73 million admissions, earning 10.2 billion yen at the box office.
March 8, 2023, the long-awaited Blu-ray and DVD, EVANGELION: 3.0 + 1.11 THRICE UPON A TIME was released.
October 2025 marked 30 years since the television series debuted, and a celebratory event titled EVANGELION: 30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION was held in Yokohama Arena between February 21 and 23, 2026. Though such an anniversary event was a first for the series, it proved to be a resounding success, attracting a great many visitors from Japan and around the world.
About Square Enix, Inc.
Ranked as the #1 Publisher of the Year in 2025 by Metacritic.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX and TAITO branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix group of companies. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 203 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 94 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com
© SQUARE ENIX
LOGO ILLUSTRATION: © YOSHITAKA AMANO
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