Time/space gates possibiltys

[MorbolvampireQueen6]

So thinking in shadows what if we got random gates that open to past and future forms of the zone ... this could be extremely fun the same zone but the past or future form of zone would grant special rewards and give us something like timewarped tokens

[Nora_of_Mira]

Final Fantasy 14: A Link to the Past

[Enkidoh]

No. FFXI had this very concept in it's Wings of the Goddess expansion, but it was not a good addition, as it became an easy excuse for unimaginative and uninspired area/game design (as they didn't even have to create new zones but simply retextured existing ones, stating "it's in the past!"). Also the way FFXIV's story led from it's original '1.0' version to ARR using the Calamity to explain why the zones were now changed, going back in time to before the Calamity kind of invalidates that as it opens up all sorts of issues with casuality that would contradict ARR's very reason for being. So I do not see SE doing this.

Alternate universes are confirmed in the lore though so visits to one of Hydaelyn's 'shards' is possible where things turned out slightly differently to 'our' Hydaelyn (the First, which is slowly falling to an over abundance of Light being a very strong contender for the setting of at least some of Shadowbringers), but we'll find out soon enough either way.