Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker was revealed during the FFXIV announcement showcase–it’s the next expansion for the MMORPG, and it came with a teaser trailer and several details outlined by director and producer Naoki Yoshida. While there are wild implications for where the story is going next, that wasn’t all that the FFXIV team had in store. A new Live Letter from the Producer stream followed the showcase to detail FFXIV patch 5.5, which will lead into the Endwalker expansion.
It’s a two-part update that called Death Unto Dawn and will set players up for the Endwalker story. The first part will go live on April 13, which lines up with the PlayStation 5 open beta for FFXIV, and the second part is set for the end of May, which comes after the digital FFXIV Fan Fest event (scheduled for May 15 and 16). The following details may contain spoilers for those not caught up in FFXIV’s main story.
Screenshots shared in the Live Letter stream show a gathering of several major characters who represent the various regions across FFXIV’s world, and this is likely about the events that happened at the very end of the 5.4 storyline. The new main story dungeon was also teased–it’s called Palgth’an and looks like it could be the beginning of destruction across Eorzea. Palgth’an is compatible with the Trust system so you can take AI characters with you.
Patch 5.5 will feature the conclusion to the Sorrow of Werlyt optional questline. This also comes with a new trial boss fight called The Cloud Deck and it’ll pit 8-player parties against Diamond Weapon–an Extreme difficulty version will also be available.
As expected, the third part to the 24-player Nier Automata crossover alliance raid series will be included in patch 5.5. The subtitle to this part is being held as a secret, and Yoshida-san teased that Nier series creator Yoko Taro (who’s been working on the raids) might have surprises in store. He also mentioned that they’re calling this a third chapter to the raid series and not the final chapter–we’re not sure what this could mean or if it hints at future content. We did get a teaser screenshot with what looks a lot like the a Seed of Destruction from Drakengard.
This story is developing.
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Marvel has a huge slate of movies on the way over the next few years, but one of the most anticipated movies on the list is the upcoming Blade film. Blade is still a ways out, but Marvel has settled on a writer for the superhero horror film.
Stacy Osei-Kuffour will write Blade for Marvel Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Osei-Kuffour worked previously as a writer and story editor on HBO’s critically-acclaimed Watchmen and Amazon Prime’s Nazi-hunting series Hunters. Marvel first revealed the project at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, where it also revealed that actor Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage, House of Cards, Moonlight) will step into the role once occupied by Wesley Snipes.
THR reports that Marvel spent the last six month searching for a writer before tapping Osei-Kuffour, and that Ali was directly involved. The team seriously considered only Black writers, focusing on diversity and representation. Osei-Kuffour becomes the first Black woman to write a Marvel film (Nia DaCosta will be the studio’s first Black woman director with Captain Marvel 2.)
If it doesn’t have RGB lighting, is it really a Razer product? Razer’s tendency to equip its products with rainbow LEDs has become the subject of jokes, though the company seems to take it with pride, even equipping its first-ever gaming monitor, the Razer Raptor 27, with an RGB stand. It might seem a little silly at first, but once you delve past the Raptor’s colorful gimmick and dive deeper into its specs, build, and performance, you’ll find that Razer’s first gaming monitor is another exceptional example of the company’s ability to deliver a quality product.
Display and performance
Adorned with an RGB-lit base, the Razer Raptor 27 provides a gorgeous, vivid image on its 27-inch IPS display, which looks doubly nice with its thin bezel. Games look sharp at the screen’s native resolution of 1440p, and the change in color tone between Valorant and Call of Duty: Warzone demonstrates the Raptor’s adept range. Bright sunny days in games like Saints Row: The Third Remastered and Metro Exodus are exceptional–the sun peeking through an overpass or set of buildings in Saints Row looks beautiful. Darker scenes, however, is where the Raptor struggles a little. Testing with the most recent Resident Evil games, dark hallways can look more gray than black. While these black levels leave us wanting, with the right settings, the Raptor is still capable of producing a good-looking image.
Razer Raptor 27
The Razer Raptor boasts a 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync compatibility via FreeSync, both of which help it run and perform wonderfully. This provides a real advantage for competitive games like Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and Call of Duty: Warzone, where going from a low refresh rate monitor to a high one could make for a substantial improvement in your K/D ratio. In addition to much smoother gameplay over your typical 60Hz, the Raptor’s 144Hz refresh rate contributes to quicker reactions to movement and better precision aiming on the screen. For example, this makes sniping that enemy who pops into view much easier, dropping them before they can duck back into cover.
The image quality and fast refresh rate combine to make for one of the better 1440p gaming monitor experiences out there today, though the display is not without its downsides. The HDR400 support doesn’t output enough nits of brightness to achieve the desired baseline of HDR10, making the HDR support less than desirable. It’s still capable of providing a great image with HDR disabled, but the Raptor’s HDR doesn’t deliver the improvement one would hope for.
Razer Raptor 27 specs
Display: 27-inch IPS
Resolution: 2560×1440 (1440p)
Refresh Rate: 144Hz
HDR: HDR400
Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
Bezel size: 2.3mm
Adaptive sync: FreeSync, G-Sync Compatible
Ports: HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, two USB 3.2
Build quality
The Raptor is built quite well, feeling much sturdier than other monitors with similar specs. The actual display is thick, with a more substantial body than monitors typically have. It’s attached to an all-metal stand that makes the whole monitor feel secure. This stand allows the display to be tilted up and down, which you’ll definitely need to do when setting up the monitor and plugging in your cables. If you don’t have enough room to tilt it all the way up, it can be quite cumbersome to plug in your DisplayPort and HDMI cables. Additionally, running the cables through the stand’s built-in cable jockeys can take some time. While this process can prove frustrating, once everything is set up, it provides you with clean cable management and a mess-free look.
The Razer Raptor can be tiled 90 degrees and comes with built-in cord management.
Navigating the Raptor’s menus and changing your settings is handled exclusively by a tiny joystick on the back of the monitor. You can use this plastic nub to access various menus by pushing up, down, left, and right as well as clicking in to confirm your selection. It’s certainly serviceable, but as is the case with most monitor controls, it’s not intuitive–at times, I found myself pushing in the wrong direction by accident.
Value
The Razer Raptor’s display is beautiful, and its chassis is among the best we’ve tested. Like the company’s gaming laptops, it feels almost Apple-like in its construction. However, that brings with it a particularly demanding price tag. At $700 USD, it falls on the expensive side of 1440p gaming monitors. A comparable monitor, LG’s 27-inch GL850-B, features almost the exact same specs as the Razer Raptor 27 and a similarly gorgeous display, but it costs $500. Comparing side-by-side, the Raptor’s display looks slightly brighter than the GL850-B in addition to its heavier RGB-lit stand and sturdier build. The Raptor edges the GL850-B out, but other than these small cosmetic differences, it’s a very similar experience between both monitors.
The bottom line
Despite its similarities to cheaper alternatives, the experience afforded by the Razer Raptor 27 is an excellent one, propped up by a design that rivals Apple and specs that can serve the most dedicated of PC gamers. Its fast refresh rate helps it excel in competitive settings, while its vibrant image quality makes it a great choice for those who enjoy detail-heavy single-player games as well. The Raptor is expensive, but supplementary features like its RGB lighting and cable management help make this monitor unique, and its premium build quality is befitting of its premium price tag.
The Good:
Fast refresh rate and 1440p resolution pair nicely
Superb build quality rivals Apple’s designs
Vibrant colors
Ability to tilt 90 degrees allows easy access to ports
Bright settings look gorgeous…
The Bad:
…though darker scenes look more gray than black
Expensive
About the author: Mat Paget tested the Razer Raptor 27 as his main daily monitor for about two months, and while he could live without RGB lighting, he misses the cable management and clean look. Razer loaned the Raptor 27 for review purposes.
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy 14’s PS5 version will go into Open Beta on April 13, 2021, and will feature 4K resolution support, faster loading times, and “significantly improved frame rate.”
There will be two modes – one for resolution and one for framerate – and it will be released on the same day as Patch 5.5.
FINAL FANTASY XIV is coming to PlayStation 5, with an open beta planned to launch on Tuesday, April 13, 2021!
Players who have a Final Fantasy 14 service account that has a registered license for the PlayStation 4 version will be able to download and play the PS5 Upgrade Edition at no extra cost.
Final Fantasy 14 is available on PS5 via backward compatibility, but this version will be fully optimized for Sony’s latest console.
Not only will Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker take players to the moon, it will also bring to a close the story that began with A Realm Reborn.
There will also be two new jobs, including a healer job called Sage, a level cap raise from 80 to 90, and “massive new areas” waiting to be explored like the imperial capital of Garlemald, Thavnair, and the city of Radz-at-Han.
The missions for the second set of pins celebrating Mario’s 35th anniversary have been available for some time, but your chance to obtain the pins based on such games as Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Odyssey may be over unless you have completed expired missions and purchase Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.
This likely means that most people looking to obtain the newest set of pins won’t be able to, as the most you’ll be able to complete is 12 of the required 15 missions. As of 2/05/21, completing 14 missions is impossible unless you have already completed at least two missions that are no longer available. These include: Splatoon 2 Splatfest Online Challenge, NintendoVS Challenge Cup, BoxLunch’s Super Mario must-haves on Boxlunch, Tetris 18th MAXIMUS CUP, Super Mario Maker 2 Ninji Speedrun Online Challenge, and Super Mario Kart Tour event.
Bear in mind, two of the missions require having purchased Super Mario 3D All-Stars and playing Super Mario Bros. 35, the latter which requires a Nintendo Switch Online paid membership. So, if you are interested in the pins, you’re potentially on the hook for two $60 games plus a $20 membership.
Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, Reviews, and Wikis writer for IGN who is very sad that he can’t get this new set of Mario pins. You can cry with him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream cry on Twitch.
During the Final Fantasy XIV announcement showcase, the next expansion for the MMORPG was revealed through a teaser trailer–it’s called Endwalker and it’s set to launch in Fall 2021. You can watch the trailer from the livestream below (be aware that there may be spoilers in the trailer).
The trailer shows the Warrior of Light (your character) walking on the moon of your realm followed by the map of Eorzea being burnt. You then see core character Alisaie fighting against what looks to be a dragon-like monsters as the world around her burns. Her brother Alphinaud, who’s representing the expansion new Sage healer Job, and the Warrior of Light show up to join the fight. There are also teaser shots of the new villain overlooking a flame to represent new “Final Days” and you see returning villain Zenos as well. It appears that the world of Hydaelyn is a lot more than just an Earth-like planet from these shots. The final shot returns to the moon to reveal the new representation of the Warrior of Light who is now a Paladin.
New Jobs
After the trailer, director and producer Naoki Yoshida went to much greater detail about what you can expect from FFXIV Endwalker. The first of which was the two new Jobs–one healer and one melee DPS. The trailer shows Alphinaud sporting the new healer Job–it’s called Sage and uses a set of floating aether-infused knives called Nouliths (a wild Gundam reference for those who are aware). It’s said to be a barrier-focused healer, similar to Scholar. Sages will start at level 70 with no required class prerequisite, but you need at least one other Job at level 70 and you must own the Endwalker expansion.
No details were given about the new melee DPS job, although it will be revealed in May during the digital FFXIV Fan Fest.
What We Know About The Story
Yoshida-san explained the story setup and emphasized that Endwalker is a finale and conclusion to the current FFXIV story arc–an ending to what we know as the world of Hydaelyn, which has been going on since the very beginning of the game. He also said that things would come full circle, describing it as “a new dawn” for the story.
This will be FFXIV 6.0, and as players know, the story usually continues after the expansion. However, Endwalker will have a full conclusion to the conflict between Hydaelyn and Zodiark, and the emphasis on the moon gives us a hint as to where FFXIV goes from here. Yoshida-san emphasized that this is not the end of FFXIV, however. FFXIV 6.1 is already being planned, and will begin an entirely new story separate from what has been built since 1.0 and 2.0.
The Warrior of Light chillin’ on the moon.Alisaie is looking great in the new trailer!
As a setup for Endwalker’s story, the announcement showcase included these statements:
“What were the Final Days that brought the mighty ancients to their knees? To uncover myriad secrets–of Hydaelyn, Zodiark, and deeper mysteries still–the Warrior of Light embarks on a journey to the moon.
“The long-awaited conclusion to the tale of Gods light and dark!
“Curiouser and curiouser…burning questions remain!
“What brought about the Final Days?
“What became of Hydaelyn and Zodiark?
“What will be the Garlean Empire’s fate
“What is Zenos’ and Fandaniel’s aim?
“What is to be found on the moon?”
In Shadowbringers, we saw what the “Final Days” were for the Ascian people, but that may come into greater focus with Endwalker–there have been many allusions to burning the world down ever since the final scene of the 5.3 story. In artwork shown later in the announcement showcase, Garlemald is basically left destroyed and desolate. If you played up to the end of the 5.4 story, you see why this might be the case.
Although Zenos and Fandaniel are featured in this teaser trailer, and that their motivations will be made clear, Yoshida-san said not worry about having a disappointing final villain–Endwalker is said to have a complex story with many surprises. Judging from the biological-organic environments below the surface shown in artwork and the trailer, we’ll find out the true nature of the planet.
Some New Features
Of the new features coming to Endwalker, the level cap is increasing to level 90, as expected. It’s also said to feature “massive” new areas–the new artwork features a lush jungle-like environment with a colorful bustling city in the sky called Radz-At-Han. It’s said to have a similar in size to Eulmore from Shadowbringers. It’s located in the region of Thavnair, which is near FFXIV’s version of Dalmasca. It has a tropical climate and a different culture from the rest of the world’s regions.
It was also confirmed that one of the major regions you’ll be in is Garlemald, the heart of the Garlean Empire. It is absolutely destroyed in Endwalker, however. No further details about it were given.
Concept art for new dungeons was also revealed, all of which were quite different in design. One featured a great ancient-style structure with the environment burning around it, another featured that biological-organic style with alien-like flesh and bone structure making up the environment, and another was a sterile high-tech Garlean facility.
Fans of of Final Fantasy X will recognize a new enemy featured in this expansion: Anima, which has been recreated for FFXIV by the original designer.
Another high-end 8-player raid series was teased–it’s called Pandaemonium, and the artwork features the likeness of the old Ascian adversary, Lahabrea. It will tell a unique and separate story for FFXIV as well.
A new 24-player alliance raid was confirmed. It is said to provide several answers to lingering mysteries about the world of Hydaelyn, which may mean that it’s not going to be a crossover raid series (unlike Stormblood with Final Fantasy XII and Shadowbringers with Nier Automata).
The Trust system, which lets you take core characters into dungeons as AI companions in place of real players, is getting an update–Estinien, who was first introduced in Heavensward, will be an ally of the Scions and available in the Trust system. As for the reason he’s included, we’ll have to see what happens in the story.
Island Sanctuary is an all-new feature in Endwalker, described as a way of “slow living” where you’ll do things like raise animals and cultivate open land on a deserted island. It won’t just be for crafters and gatherers and will be geared toward all players.
FFXIV 6.0 will add a new residential area to expand housing opportunities. This time it’ll be in Ishgard as a way to tie into The Firmament and Ishgard Restoration content. Actual housing won’t be available until patch 6.1, but players can look at plots at the start of 6.0.
A ton of other additional content will come with FFXIV 6.0 such as more role quests, crafter and gatherer quests, Gold Saucer updates, small-scale PvP battles, a new tribe called the Matanga, and more.
Battle System Changes
A few tweaks are lined up for the core battle system in FFXIV. First is the downscaling of values and damage numbers in combat. Through the expansions, damage and attack potency has gradually increased as players got more powerful. However, downscaling is said to help with calculations and prevent overflow and bugs in the backend. Changes will be proportional as to not change how the combat system functions.
This is also said to help with calculations for enmity, which could prevent problems for Tanks. The number crunch will consolidate the flying text for damage numbers and scale down the HP pool for bosses along with everything else.
The changes will come with how player levels and stats increase from level 51 to 80, essentially squeezing the rate at which players get more powerful, which means enemy effectiveness will scale accordingly. Experience points values will be compressed along with the experience points required to level up as well.
Lastly, belts are being removed from the game entirely at the start of the 6.0 update–it’s an armor gear piece, which was actually already removed from your character’s appearance. The 35 inventory slots from belts will be allocated to weapons and rings (15 slots each) with the leftover five being held for the future.
Data Center Travel
Currently, FFXIV players can travel between different servers within their data centers, but not to other data centers. However, the data center travel system that’s coming to FFXIV in the future will allow for these from different data centers to meet up and create parties, though there will be some restrictions.
PlayStation 5 Version Coming
While FFXIV is playable through backwards compatibility, a PS5-specific version is coming soon. It’ll be in open beta starting April 13 this year, and will feature 4K resolution, faster loading times, more detailed visual effects, and an improved frame rate. There will be two options, however: full native 4K resolution or a higher frame rate mode with 1440p resolution. Continual updates to graphics and performance will come out in future patches.
Players who have a registered license for the game on PS4 will be able to upgrade and access the PS5 version for free. No further details were given for how the process will work.
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