Final Fantasy 14recently held the last Live Letter from the Producer before the release of its fourth expansion pack,Endwalker. The press release introduced big changes coming to PvP in the first major content patch ofFinal Fantasy 14: Endwalker, expected to launch sometime in February or March.
The first big change coming toFinal Fantasy14’s PvP is a brand new mode called Crystal Conflict. This 5v5 mode has teams pushing the Tactical Crystal in the center of the map into the enemy’s side of the field–a system that may sound familiar toTeam Fortress 2orOverwatchplayers.Several maps from locations acrossFF14’sworldwill be available, each with its own environmental effects. Crystal Conflict will replace the Feast, the existing team deathmatch mode being removed in the selfsame patch.
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Several other PvPsystems are coming inEndwalkerpatch 6.1 as well. The new Series reward system lets players earn Series experience to unlock special mounts, gear, and other items specific to that series. Though the Series, levels, and rewards will reset after a time, old rewards will be attainable via other means. Roles are also being adjusted to grant all jobs similar tools with the goal of reducing stress on healers and tanks, as well as the matchmaking system itself. Lastly, a Calling Card system is being added, which will allow players to customize a PvP profile viewable by other players.
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This isn’t the first changeFFXIVhas made to its PvP systems. The system in place today would be unrecognizable toplayers duringA Realm Reborn, even before patch 6.1. Previous revamps have evened the playing field between new and veteran players, and the upcoming changes seek to do the same, this time with a focus on allowing all jobs to have equal use on the battlefield.
Though the PvP community inFinal Fantasy 14is comparatively small, fans of competitive gameplay are excited about the upcoming changes. The influx of new players, many fromPvP-heavyWorld of Warcraft, means more attention on the oft-neglected mode. With a larger potential market for PvP players, this facelift is timely and smart. Many PvP communities within theFinal Fantasy 14fanbase are eager to dive into the new systems and encourage other players who might be intimidated by PvP to give it a try.
Some players are less enthusiastic about the PvP changes coming toFinal Fantasy 14. Competitive play, even on a casual level, can be a lot more stressful than PvE content, and the past history of fickle support for PvP has turned many off from it. However,Final Fantasy 14seems intent on making its PvP systems stronger, sleeker, and more accessible than ever before. Even players who would otherwise be hesitant to even consider getting into it should at leastgive it a shot afterEndwalkerPatch 6.1.
Final Fantasy 14is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5. TheEndwalkerexpansion launches on December 7.
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