The Seventh Umbral Era - What does it mean?

After reading about the developer's roadmap to the "new" FFXIV and how the transformation of the world map would be explained by in-game storyline, it hit me: the apocalypse that is going to happen that will change the whole world is referred to as the Seventh Umbral Era. Now in the game, during character creation, when you choose your nameday, the "months" proceed as the first astral, first umbral, second astral, second umbral, and so on, meaning that we are currently in the seventh astral era (the 14th metamorphosis of Eorzia) and the seventh umbral era will be the 15th version of Eorzia. This is final fantasy 14, and if i'm not mistaken final fantasy 1-13 all took place in different worlds (although, of course XII and tactics took place in the same world, as have other main-line sequels.) So my point is... are the developers insinuating that all final fantasy games essentially have taken place on the same planet, a planet that somehow routinely goes through metamorphoses? An interesting thought, regardless.

Look to Dissidia for how all the games are linked...I suppose...

To answer your question about them all being linked, I highly doubt it from a XIV players standpoint. However, to fill in some of my experiences with the game's lore, the 7th Umbral Era is the end of a life cycle when the planet is essentially about to restart and life is reborn once again, pretty much wiping out all life currently known in existence.

But of course, this can be interpreted in different ways, I suppose. In my viewpoint, its almost like restarting a file on a game and starting from scratch. Except everyone in that save file is going bat #@$% crazy because the end is near. Then you have those that don't even believe in the nonsense and are more worried over the Garleans invading, and go on with their merry little lives.

There was the Allagan Empire before the Garlean Empire, and there were probably even more before any of them as well. Astral is the beginning, Umbral is the end. Kinda like night and day, the sun and the moon, the light and the dark.

Astral is the light, the birth and energy to the world. Water, Earth, Wind. While Umbral is the destruction and the death in the world, Fire, Ice, Lightning. You catch my drift?

Most of these stories you can read more about from the books on the desks in the Arcanist Guild in Limsa, the desk in the Thaumaturges Guild in Ul'Dah, or the Conjurer's Guild in Gridania.

If you have anymore questions, be sure to ask. Hope that helped, and hope even more I wasn't wrong or too confusing!