Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) took the stage at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin today — and delivered the biggest Evercold information drop yet. The first new job was named, new locations were revealed, two major crossover raids were announced, and the expansion’s release window was locked in. Here’s everything from the keynote.
The Bastion: FFXIV’s First New Tank Job for Evercold
The headline reveal: the first new job coming to Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold is the Bastion, a main tank wielding a pair of greatshields known as Skyltborg. These aren’t ordinary shields — they transform from close-quarters clawed melee weapons into giant triple-barrelled cannons, giving the Bastion a playstyle that mixes defensive plate-and-shield fantasy with mounted firearms on each arm.
Originating from Aerslaent in the Northern Empty, the Bastion can target allies with defensive and curative boons as well as deal heavy offensive damage. The job starts at level 90, and the unlock quest will be found in Limsa Lominsa. Crucially, the Bastion is tied exclusively to Evercold’s new Evolved Mode combat system — players will need to engage with that system to use it. A second new job (a Physical Ranged DPS) has been confirmed but held back for the Tokyo Fan Fest later this year.
New Locations: Realmships and the Hub City of Falgarthr
Evercold is set in The Fourth Reflection, an ice-covered realm whose inhabitants have fled the spreading frost onto massive airships called Realmships. Two Realmships were shown in the keynote:
- Naglfar — the Realmship of Water, featuring wide open fields. Its primary player hub is Falgarthr, a striking white-and-gold city centred around a building shaped like a dragon’s head.
- Hringhorni — the Realmship of Fire.
The expansion introduces a non-linear main scenario: players can tackle the three Realmship zones in any order, with their paths reconverging before the story climax. An Auto Content Balancing system will adjust field difficulty to match whichever progression path a player has chosen.
Crossover Raids: Evangelion and Final Fantasy VII Remake
Two major raid crossovers were announced for Evercold:
- EVANGELION — Ghosts of Desire: an alliance raid series set in the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The trailer (below) confirms EVA-Unit designs and a full alliance-raid structure — this is the most ambitious anime collaboration FFXIV has ever attempted.
- Beyond the Lifestream: an 8-player raid series crossing over with the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. No further details were shared, but the name and format are confirmed.
New Game Systems and Quality-of-Life Changes
Evercold is bringing a raft of structural changes alongside the new content:
- New mid-tier raid difficulty — a stepping stone between Normal and Savage, aimed at players who want a challenge without the full commitment of Savage progression.
- Action Skins — customisable animations for teleportation and job abilities, launching in patch 8.0. Character Action Skins arriving in 8.1 extend this further.
- Character customisation — independent Au Ra horn selection, toggleable cosmetic features for Lalafell, Viera, and Miq’ote, and expanded colour and facial options.
- Weekly structure — moving from daily resets to seasonal cycles.
- Collector’s Edition — includes the Valhallar Odin mount, the Entreat Crystal emote, and crystal Skyltborg weapons for in-game use.
What Singapore Players Need to Know
For Singapore veterans and newcomers alike, two dates matter most right now. August 4, 2026 is when Final Fantasy XIV arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 — including a free first-month subscription during the launch period, which means local Switch 2 owners can try the full game at no extra cost very shortly. If you have been waiting for an excuse to jump in, that’s it.
The Evercold expansion itself launches in January 2027 across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Patch 7.56 — bringing the first in-game taste of Evercold’s story — drops on September 8, 2026. For players on Singapore’s game news beat, the Berlin keynote confirmed everything fans had been hoping: a genuinely fresh expansion setting, a bold new job, and two of the most anticipated raid crossovers in the game’s history.