Hello again to all of you eagerly awaiting FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn. Yoshi-P here, bringing you the forty-ninth Letter from the Producer!

As much as I enjoy reading the forums, I've been kept away by endless days of internal tests, fixes, and adjustments. Checking an entire MMORPG is hard work, even for a hardcore gamer like me. Nevertheless, as of August 10, 2013 6:00 a.m. (PDT)/1:00 p.m. (GMT), balancing for the official release of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn is finally finished.

Whether you're new to FFXIV, or you stuck with us all the way to the end of Version 1.0, I believe we've created a game that everyone can enjoy. The rich story, cut scenes, and intense battles have all been designed to blend together seamlessly. There's so much to do in the world of Eorzea, and no matter how fast or slow you plan to go, we want you to have fun while exploring everything the game has to offer.







(Hmmm...I wonder how many people will be able to clear the Binding Coil of Bahamut before the 2.1 Patch? Well, even if it proves to be an insurmountable challenge to most, as the game is updated with new battles, the older ones will be toned down a bit, so there's no need to worry.)

The fourth and final phase of beta testing will soon be underway as well. Early logins will begin on the 16th, with the official start slated for the 17th. Although we've lowered the level cap for this phase, for all intents and purposes, you could say what you'll be playing is a trial version of the game. The test period will be short, but all save data will carry over to release, so have a good time and make every moment count!

It's time for me to head back to work, but I'll see you next time at Gamescon in Cologne, the launch day event here in Shibuya, Japan, and PAX Prime in Seattle!