Highlights
- Final Fantasy 16’s next expansion, The Rising Tide, launches April 18 for $19.99 standalone or included in the $24.99 Expansion Pass.
- The new expansion introduces the realm of Mysidia and a new character named Shula, aiding Clive in a battle against Leviathan.
- Patch 1.30 will offer a new “Kairos” battle mode for players to enjoy, along with customizable controller button layouts.
To start the second day of PAX East 2024, the Final Fantasy 16 development team revealed that the game’s second expansion, The Rising Tide, will launch on Thursday, April 18. The expansion will launch along with a free update for Final Fantasy 16, including some adjustments and a new battle mode for players to try out.
The PAX East panel started with a first look at the Rising Tide expansion, with a sneak peek at the new realm of Mysidia. Named after the magical kingdoms of Final Fantasy 2 and Final Fantasy 4, Mysidia is said to be located in the Northern Territories, but not much information was disclosed beyond that. Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida was joined by localization lead Michael-Christopher Koji Fox and DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka for the panel. The developers said that players start The Rising Tide at the Hideaway by reading a mysterious letter that asks for aid in rescuing the Dominant of Leviathan the Lost, the Eikon of Water. Along the way, Clive and his companions will meet a new character called Shula, who will join Clive in battle.
Final Fantasy 16 Dev Talks Possibility of Third DLC
A senior Square Enix official goes on record about the possibility of a third Final Fantasy 16 expansion happening after The Rising Tide.
To close out the PAX East panel, Yoshida revealed that The Rising Tide will launch on Thursday, April 18, and it will cost $19.99 as a standalone purchase on the PlayStation Store. However, Final Fantasy 16 players who purchased the Expansion Pass for $24.99 will receive The Rising Tide at no additional cost, as the pass includes access to the game’s first DLC, Echoes of the Fallen. In addition to The Rising Tide DLC, Final Fantasy 16 will release Patch 1.30 at the same time as a free update. The update will bring adjustments to the battle system, and players will be able to customize their controller button layouts freely.
When Will Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide Be Released?
- Thursday, April 18
- Priced at $19.99 as a standalone purchase, included in the Expansion Pass
- Patch 1.30 will be released alongside The Rising Tide
Patch 1.30 will also bring a new “Kairos” battle mode for players to try out. Inspired by Final Fantasy 14‘s deep dungeons such as Palace of the Dead, Kairos is a battle-focused gauntlet that Clive can progress through and gain abilities based on how much progress is made. Yoshida teased that players who reach the end of Kairos in “Final Fantasy Mode” will face a secret boss, but refused to divulge more information. Though the PC port of Final Fantasy 16 is in the final optimization stages, Yoshida did not talk about it at all during the panel.
Yoshida encouraged PAX East attendees to show up for the Dawntrail panel on March 23, where he will confirm the release date of the upcoming Final Fantasy 16 crossover event in Final Fantasy 14. Only time will tell when that event will go live.
Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix. Set in the land of Valisthea, six different factions are on the brink of war due to a spreading disease known as the Blight. Much of the plot revolves around summoned monsters called Eikons, who are controlled by unique humans called Dominants.
- Released
- June 22, 2023
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 36 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
