All FFXIV expansions in order, from Heavensward to Dawntrail
FFXIV is a massive game with many years' worth of expansions and updates, so here's a guide that explores all of the game's expansions in order of release.
There have been quite a few FFXIV expansions released over the past decade, taking players all across the fantastical world of the game.
Final Fantasy XIV as we know and love it launched in 2013, but since then regular expansions have added new stories, new locations, new jobs, and new ways to play the game. It can be hard to keep up with them all, so here's a roundup of every expansion and what they include.
All Final Fantasy XIV expansions in order
Here are all of the expansions in order of release date:
Expansion | Release date |
Heavensward | June 23, 2015 |
Stormblood | June 20, 2017 |
Shadowbringers | July 2, 2019 |
Endwalker | December 3, 2021 |
Dawntrail | July 2, 2024 |
Dawntrail, the next expansion coming to Final Fantasy XIV, has not yet been released, but we do have a release date which you can see in the table above - there's not long to go!
Heavensward
Heavensward was the first expansion released for FFXIV, after the A Realm Reborn reboot in August 2013. The expansion brings players to Ishgard, a kingdom in the mountains north of Eorzea. The Holy See of Ishgard has been at war for over a thousand years with the dragon army of Nidhogg.
The story surrounds this war, how Ishgard came to be and how it separated from the rest of Eorzea. At the same time that the war with the dragons heats up, the Warrior of Light and the Scions are framed for murder and go to Ishgard to seek asylum while they prove their innocence.
This inevitably leads to the Scions getting involved in local affairs, discovering the truth about Ishgard's origins, and helping to end the millennium-long conflict.
Stormblood
The second expansion, Stormblood, takes the player to two new major locations: Ala Mhigo and Doma. Ala Mhigo is an arid, desert land to the east of Eorzea, and acts as a bottleneck between the continent and the Garlean Empire that seeks to conquer it. Doma is to the east of the Garlean Empire and far east of Eorzea, drawing inspiration from China and Japan.
In the story of this expansion, the Eorzean Alliance is drawn into a rebel conflict between Ala Mhigo and the Garlean Empire, before joining in a war to retake the land that was conquered by the empire 20 years previous. To aid this, the Warrior of Light and the Scions travel to Doma in the east to attack the empire on two fronts.
In Doma, the Scions help the local rebels deal blows against the empire. This inspires Prince Hien, the rightful ruler of Doma, to return from exile and lead the Domans against their oppressors. With Doma liberated and many colonies in open rebellion, the Scions return to Ala Mhigo to continue the fight against the empire.
Shadowbringers
Expansion three is Shadowbringers, which takes the players to another world called the First, a place beyond time and space. After the events of Stormblood, the Garlean Empire prepares their counterattack. However, the newly liberated Ala Mhigo cannot turn to the Warrior of Light or the Scions for help, as they have all slipped into deep comas.
In truth, they have all been taken to the First, a world on the brink of destruction. There, the Warrior and the Scions must make uneasy alliances as they seek to save this world from ending. Furthermore, they must also find a way to return home.
Making matters worse is the interference of Emet-Selch, who is a native of this world. He seeks to use the Scions for his own means and gain ultimate power. The Scions must stop him and return to Eorzea to rejoin the fight against the Garleans.
Endwalker
Endwalker is the fourth and most recent expansion for Final Fantasy XIV. This expansion exists as an ending to the story that began in A Realm Reborn, bringing the conflict of the Hydaelin-Zodiark arc to an end.
In this expansion, the player travels to Old Sharlayan with the Scions to prevent the coming of The Final Days. Meanwhile, the son of the former emperor of Garlemald, Zenos, kills his father and takes his throne. Aided by the Ascian Fandaniel, Zenos seeks to drive the world to oblivion, all so he can have one final confrontation with the Warrior of Light.
Dawntrail
Following the climactic ending of the events of Endwalker, the Scions are in dire need of a break. In Dawntrail, they decide to travel to a new land called Tural. This tropical country far to the west seems to take inspiration from Central and South America.
Unsurprisingly, adventure and danger find our heroes as the Warrior of Light is tasked with aiding in a rite of succession to determine Tural's next ruler. At the time of writing, this expansion is still months away, so only time will tell how this story pans out.
That's it for our Final Fantasy XIV expansions guide. Head to our Final Fantasy homepage for more content like how to change class in FFXIV, how to get your hands on the Makai gear, and Instant Portraits explained.
About The Author
Jaimie Ditchfield
Jaimie is a freelance writer who can't seem to shut up about Nintendo games. In addition to studying Games Journalism and PR for three years, he is persistent in spreading his love for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Since finishing his degree, Jaimie's work has been published on Nintendo Enthusiast and Zelda Universe.