Expansion/Updates Timeline?

I'm still pretty new here, but I'm curious just to get a feel for the health of the game... is there any kind of set timeline (implied or direct) for expansions and updates?

For example, it looks like new expansions come roughly every two years. Is that a set in stone timeline for new content... or just coincidence up to this point? Is there an expectation that it'd continue like that, or have they directly said it would or wouldn't? Or are we all just kinda playing it by ear?

Also kinda curious if there's a set timeline for smaller updates.

Expansions have operated on a 2 year cycle since the start.

Patches operate on average 3~4 months cycle for Big x.x patches with x.xx ones every few weeks as they stagger some stuff like relics and some content to spread it out a bit.

New expansions comes around 2 years and new Patches around 3 months between each other.

Have they come out and said it'd happen every two years, or is that just the way the winds have blown since the game started?

No set timeline, but as you say, expansions (X.0) are about every 2 years. Major content patches (like 5.X) are usually every 4 months. Minor patches (usually contain a small amount of content, and bug/balance fixes, and are like 5.0X) are usually two weeks after a major content patch launch, 2 weeks after that, and then as needed. There are usually about 5-6 minor patches during a major patch cycle, and 5 major patches during an expansion cycle.

Again, this isn't set in stone, and the times above are approximate, but I can only think of one time it was more then just a couple weeks off one way or the other, and that was in between the last content patch of ARR and Heavensward, where it was like, 6 months between 2.5 and 3.0.

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Originally Posted by Dreakon13

Have they come out and said it'd happen every two years, or is that just the way the winds have blown since the game started?

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FFxiv is only able to produce their amount of content thanks to their pre-determined content cycle, so they have said. So yes, you can expect a major patch (new story quests, trials, raids, dungeons, etc) about every 3-4 months with random things in between like job adjustments and experimental content.

Thanks for the info! You're all really quick. :D

To generally sum up each patch you can usually just look at the contents of each to understand what you're getting.

Generally every odd numbered patch:
1 new dungeon
1 New trial w/EX (Only excludes on 5.1 since we're getting an EX version of an existing trial)
1 New Beast Tribe Related content (Either new tribe for #.1 and #.3 or the allied tribe quest for #.5)
1 Alliance Raid
Something pvp related
1 Ultimate (Excludes the final odd patch for the expac)
QoL updates for in game, etc.

Generally every even numbered patch:
2 New dungeons
1 New Trial w/EX version of it
New Raid tier w/ Savage coming two weeks after or so
1 New Beast tribe for the #.2 patch
QoL updates etc.

There's a lot more but those are the big things people bring up.

5.1 in October-November 2019. It will include Hades Extreme, the first raid from YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, and the beginning of Ishgard Restoration. The next Ultimate fight will be released several weeks later.

Patch 5.2 will come out January-February 2020. It will include the second tier of savage raids, and begin this expansion's trials series.

Patch 5.3 will come out May-June 2020. It will include the next part of YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, and an MSQ-related trial. A new Ultimate fight will be released several weeks later.

Patch 5.4 will come out September-October 2020. It will include the final raid tier, and another trial in this expansions' unique trials series.

Patch 5.5 will come out January-February 2021. It will bring the final installment of YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, and the final trial of the expansion. It may or may not include a third Ultimate fight; we know they've been thinking about doing a third for Shadowbringers.

Patch 5.56 will release in March-April 2021, and will conclude MSQ before the next expansion.

6.0 will release in June-July 2021.

So I have a semi-related question: Is the Nier raid going to be a one time thing? Or will all the alliance raids this expansion be Nier themed?

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Originally Posted by Dreakon13

Have they come out and said it'd happen every two years, or is that just the way the winds have blown since the game started?

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They haven't said it explicitly, but the release pattern of expansions and patches has been very regular to the point that people can make pretty good guesses on when a patch will be released many months before it has been officially announced.

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Originally Posted by Edax

So I have a semi-related question: Is the Nier raid going to be a one time thing? Or will all the alliance raids this expansion be Nier themed?

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all 3 parts will be one continuous story with the Nier theme written by Nier creator Yoko Taro.

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Originally Posted by SendohJin

all 3 parts will be one continuous story with the Nier theme written by Nier creator Yoko Taro.

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Thank you for clearing that up for me.

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Originally Posted by Dreakon13

Thanks for the info! You're all really quick. :D

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FFXIV has one if the most reliable patch cycles in the industry. I think ESO matches then for reliability but that’s it. You could probably mark your calendar now for every patch and expansion out to 8.5 and be pretty close to correct...