Which location(s) are we likely to travel to in the next expansion? *SPOILERS*

[shoobiedoobie]

There is a sidequest that sends you inside the proving grounds. But all it amounts to is talking to one npc, then leaving again.

[Astrid_Stormborn]

You wait to hear from your patron outside the Proving Grounds in the Blacksmith questline, you go in for Leatherworker, I think.

[Frizze]

You wait to hear from your patron outside the Proving Grounds in the Blacksmith questline, you go in for Leatherworker, I think.

Now that you say that, i do kinda remember standing outside with the assistant and talking. And they maybe showed a short scene from before the contest started? Admittedly, i did all these quests in a fairly short timeframe and they kinda ran together in my mind somewhat.

[Con_Carne]

In the past, I was wondering if 5.0 would be in Meracydia, with Garlemald going there to recover any powerful Allagan weapon after their defeats on Ala Mhigo and Doma. But I think yup, we are going to Ilsabard since it looks like everyone is heading there, maybe to close the Garlean storyarc. Maybe we would even visit east Othard places like the Burn or the blue mountains above. Also, we have Sharlayan, Thavnair, and the major island of Hingashi unclouded on the map... but... I'm not sure we will see those in 5.0.

I really doubt the New World being visitable until an even further future expansion, even 6.0 is too early for NW to me... Another place I had in mind for a future expansion was "the First" (the Warriors of Darkness' world), maybe for an expansion to close the Ascian storyarc.

[KageTokage]

It's hard to guess where we'd go after Ilsabard, especially when that place seems to be the world's hotbed for Ascian activity.

I feel Hingashi could logically feature in an expansion after the lore drops that occurred in 4.35, though.

[Kesey]

Just my quick thoughts--note that I'm currently a returning player just working through Stormblood atm.

Are we at the point in this final fantasy story where we have the airship and all the new areas are places we've seen from the over world and heard about in towns, but never had access to them until this point in the plot?

So, my money is on islands all across the world, mentioned in story and maps, which have a particular pacific themed atmosphere. And we'll be searching for something specific, so as to eventually invade the empire, but also stumble across someone(s) who is/are very mysterious and might be the major bad guy in the future.

I realize this is vague, but my English teacher brain tells me this is the right move.

[Frizze]

Just my quick thoughts--note that I'm currently a returning player just working through Stormblood atm.

Are we at the point in this final fantasy story where we have the airship and all the new areas are places we've seen from the over world and heard about in towns, but never had access to them until this point in the plot?

I mean, not really. Theres a large section of the world map for the established continents(northern aldenard, western othard) that is still covered in clouds and "unexplored"(weve also barely scratched the hingashi islands, and not seen thavnair or sharlayan yet). On top of that there are 3 other continents that we've heard of but not been to. You have Mercydia to the south, the "new world" to the west, and Ilsabard(the garlean empire) to the north. No spoilers, but some of the story beats in Stormblood seem to be pointing toward Garlemald. We've always suspected(known?) it will happen eventually, and they might be ready to pull the trigger. But you could be right that 5.0 is setting the table for a Garlean 6.0. Trips to Thavnair, Sharlayan, and wherever else to get ourselves into position to move north. Time will tell.

[Bright-Flower]

I'm guessing we're going to Garlemald with where things in the story are going.

I really hope that we don't go to two regions like in Stormblood.

On one hand, I can understand why SE wanted to do both 'rebel against the Empire' stories at once.

But dividing the focus I feel did more harm than good. The liberation of Ala Mhigo and Doma both felt rushed, too easy, too quick. Having Kugane as the main city makes me scratch my head because it's not tied to Doma OR Ala Mhigo. Why? The only role in the story it serves is as a pit stop on our way to Doma. So neither Doma nor Ala Mhigo get a proper city. Well maybe the Enclave when it's fully built up. Ala Mhigo is a dungeon with one corner of it in the outdoor world with nothing of note there except an aetheryte. I would have much rather focused on just Ala Mhigo, fleshed out the area more, flesh out different factions of the Resistance, explore the Skulls and other ala mhigans that support the empire more, etc. Instead we got two rushed stories. And I hope SE doesn't repeat this mistake in 5.0 by dividing the focus too much.

[Iscah]

Ala Mhigo is a dungeon rather than a proper city in this game, but I have to wonder if we’d get access to the restored city later on.

[Rayo]

Ala Mhigo is a dungeon rather than a proper city in this game, but I have to wonder if we’d get access to the restored city later on.

Maybe an Ala Mhigo Reconstruction thing?