The Omega Weapon Arms Race -SPOILERS-

[Orophin]

On the assumption of a 3 month patch cycle and a 1 year expansion cycle, there would be no 2.5 patch.

You're way too optimistic if you think an expansion will be coming out a year after the launch of the game.

2.4 will wrap up the story for Binding Coil while 2.5 will wrap up the Crystal Tower story and transition the current main story into its next story arc. We won't be seeing an expansion until Spring of next year at the earliest.

All speculation of course, but it makes sense to me.

[Alenore]

On the assumption of a 3 month patch cycle and a 1 year expansion cycle, there would be no 2.5 patch. Omega or Ascians or any other manner of crazy shit (read: the primals we couldn't imagine which Yoshida spoke of) is a definite possibility for the finale of version 2, I'd say. If we cliffhang, it will involve Omega and Ishgard, I'm certain of that much. We already cliffhanged on the apparent death of someone significant, so i don't see that happening. The situation with Bahamut is the only thing I can see them tying a bow on. Everything else that is in motion has far reaching consequences. Ascians and primals because they never truly go away, CT because of the Void Gate which has been open for thousands of years.

They said they'd give infos about the expansion at the fanfest, which will be in october

[Saikou]

I'm too lazy to find the editorial source, but my timetable comes from the lips of The Yoshida. Yes, it's optimistic. Patches have already been delayed. They already have broken the primals and their EX versions per patch. Yoshida had said that after they caught up on EX primals with Moggle Mog, there would be 2 new primals per patch going forward. That was the same time we heard "primals you couldn't even imagine," but I believe their goals have proven to be over ambitious. It's not necessarily a bad thing that they have aimed high and fallen a little short. I'd prefer the devs large goals than small ones.

CT required more dev time because it proved to be more frustrating for casual players than intended. The Yoshida had described it as being "far too difficult." It initially had a lot more things like atomos where a great deal of coordination was required. Lets keep it real, coordination is difficult for casuals and even more so for large groups of them. And I count myself in their number, being an old soldier as far as Labrynth is concerned. The content where all 3 parties were supposed to split up never materialized, likely because it was deemed impractical. With this in mind, they may have had to redesign Labyrinth from the ground up. There's no official word on that, but we can infer this from what we do know.

I think Frontlines also required a lot more love than they had thought. I think that they took trends they saw in Wolf's Den into consideration when putting the finishing touches on Frontlines, and this ended up taking much more time than expected. Do I have proof? No, it's only an educated guess.

Light Googling indicates that it was initially hoped that The Gold Saucer would be ready for the current patch. Still in development. You get the idea. The plan is amenable to change.

We have been given no indication that there is a patch 5, however. Just an assumption on the basis that CT is expected to be finished before the expansion.

[Alenore]

The fact the expansion will be announced at the fanfest, that willll happen in roughly 3-4 months, and announcement != release.
Also the fact they pretty much stuck to a patch every 3 months, and thus that'd give us at least a 2.5, and maybe a 2.6.
And finally, the odd numbered patch are supposed to help with the content of the previous patch, as a complement, and it's very unlikely they'd release a coil and just say "screw it, new expansion! Didn't clear? Too bad!"

[Saikou]

You forget that they've been adding much and more in "mid-way" patches. We already know that there are some significant things coming in patches 2.35 and 2.38. As they've already basically said "fuck you" to casuals through not actually nerfing Twintania but requiring her defeat to enter Second Coil, I totally believe that they'd wait to nerf the Third Coil until the next expansion's release. I believe that 3.0 will drop within the first 3 months of 2015. The notion that we have 2 more patches of as much content as we've had in the last 3 is highly unlikely, unless development of significant expansion content requires them to steal completed aspects of said expansion to hold us over while the finish the thing. The story for the expansion has been finished for quite some time now. It has been in development alongside ARR's release. The Yoshida has said as much. Comments on our place in 2.X's story would indicate that the next patch will be heavy on main scenario.

[Nama]

Well the half way point marker on story is making people assume that each patch has the exact same amount of story development. A patch can have more story in it then others. 2.1 barely had any real story to it past introducing white acsican. 2.5 is extremely likely to be final patch of 2.0 cycle. Since sub patches are getting meater and 2.6 would have issues with coil finish, ilv increase right before player lv increase, introducing yet another new primal etc etc 2.6 is already looking at alot of problems.
SE has stated that some big event is going to close out 2.0 cycle and right now there are two major plot points and one darkhorse that can have a major effect on Erozea. Two likely ones, A: Omega weapon is activated (by who doesn't matter) B: Ascian influence on Ishguard is publicly exposed or C: new Garlean emperor is crown and empire turns it's attention back to Erozea. All there will likely happen in some form or combination but since expansion is hinted to be Ishguard centric i'm leaning towards B. A and C also might feel like to much of a retread of 2.0 if they are given too much focus.

[Morningstar1337]

...C: new Garlean emperor is crown and empire turns it's attention back to Erozea... A and C also might feel like to much of a retread of 2.0 if they are given too much focus.

They could have a Garlean politician/prince/other powerful figure trying to reform the empire and end the war. Bu since each Umbral era seems to involve an ampire's fall (Allag, Ampador) It's possible that by that the the Asceans would have ruined the Garleans somhow

[DoubleT]

my timetable comes from the lips of The Yoshida.

Are you aware that Yoshi did an interview this week? In which, not only did he announce the october letter to delve into the expansion plans, but he also confirmed that 2.4 will close out Coil, an 2.5 will close out CT, and everything else inbetween that and expansion will finish up our current main story. So yes, there will in fact be a 2.5, and most likely more than that.

[AlexPayne]

I don't see why we don't just destroy Omega while it sits collecting dust, rather than wait for a villain to activate it and cause us all a headache. Other than the fact that it would result in no story, of course.

They should at least come up with some solid reason why that can't be done, to make "letting things play out" make sense.

[Saikou]

Are you aware that Yoshi did an interview this week? In which, not only did he announce the october letter to delve into the expansion plans, but he also confirmed that 2.4 will close out Coil, an 2.5 will close out CT, and everything else inbetween that and expansion will finish up our current main story. So yes, there will in fact be a 2.5, and most likely more than that.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...e-halfway-mark.

Of course I know, I'm the first one to have posted about it here... I'm aware that The Yoshida did an interview 6 days ago whence the info I have given you came. I believe it more likely that the main scenario will kick it into high gear for the last patch rather than Dengeki getting what The Man Himself said wrong. Nowhere in the article is a patch 2.5 mentioned. At all. Except for in speculation in the comments. He implies that there is little chance of significant content beyond what's already been announced unless they have to delay the expansion. It's in there, go read it. I expect either several more trials than just Shiva or perhaps the return of some 8 man story mode dungeon action. Basically, a much more intense and hands-on main scenario experience than we have gotten since the base game was released. Wouldn't that be nice?