2026 FanFests

[Khryseis_Astra]

The Japanese is more blunt and says "that" will be released shortly after JP FanFest.
That, obviously, being the expansion.

Hmmm… maybe in time for Thanksgiving then!

[Aniya_Estlihn]

Hmmm… maybe in time for Thanksgiving then!

January is a more safe bet. Avoid holidays, give about 3mo for the media tour, like usual.
I suspected a Shadowbringers' situation when I saw the dates last night, this confirms it.

Media tour will likely start a week or two after JP FanFest; like Shadowbringers, with expansion being three months later in late January or Feburary.
Shadowbringers JP FanFest was 3 months before release, media tour, all the PLLs, etc. happened within a very short timeframe afterwards.

[Khryseis_Astra]

Still a long wait, but much better than Spring or Summer.

[Kunzite_Lockhart]

Seems like Yoshi-P is aware of the 8.0 late release speculation, since he added this at the end of his new letter:

"With that business aside, I was very pleased to announce the next Fan Festival yesterday, on the twelfth anniversary of FFXIV…
(And one more thing: for those wondering what comes after the Japan Fan Fest…
while I can't give any details just yet, rest assured you won't have to wait long.)"

Source: https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...02e0c425de74aa

[Carin-Eri]

Seems like Yoshi-P is aware of the 8.0 late release speculation, since he added this at the end of his new letter:

"With that business aside, I was very pleased to announce the next Fan Festival yesterday, on the twelfth anniversary of FFXIV…
(And one more thing: for those wondering what comes after the Japan Fan Fest…
while I can't give any details just yet, rest assured you won't have to wait long.)"

Source: https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...02e0c425de74aa

Well, have to acknowledge that there is a glimmer of hope in that statement.

[remiff]

Yes, there is indeed a glimmer of hope, but it’s better not to expect anything on this matter until we have official information, and all of this feels so far away.
I’m just wondering how they’re going to integrate the whole media tour, the LL of jobs, etc.,
so quickly… there’s no way they’ll be able to do all that in just one month.

[Carin-Eri]

Yes, there is indeed a glimmer of hope, but it’s better not to expect anything on this matter until we have official information, and all of this feels so far away.
I’m just wondering how they’re going to integrate the whole media tour, the LL of jobs, etc.,
so quickly… there’s no way they’ll be able to do all that in just one month.

Agreed - I guess it is still pretty ambiguous; just ambiguous with a hint of 'might not be quite as bad as we thought'.