<s>
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XIV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Endwalker	I-Application
is	O
the	O
fourth	O
expansion	O
pack	O
to	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
)	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
for	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
December	O
7	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
over	O
two	O
years	O
after	O
Shadowbringers	B-Application
,	O
the	O
previous	O
expansion	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
production	O
delayed	O
by	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
expansion	O
pack	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
standalone	O
product	O
for	O
current	O
players	O
;	O
for	O
new	O
players	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
Complete	O
Edition	O
"	O
that	O
originally	O
launched	O
with	O
Heavensward	B-Application
was	O
updated	O
to	O
include	O
all	O
expansions	O
including	O
Endwalker	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Endwalker	B-Application
,	O
players	O
as	O
the	O
Warrior	O
of	O
Light	O
travel	O
to	O
the	O
secluded	O
nation	O
of	O
Sharlayan	O
to	O
seek	O
help	O
in	O
handling	O
the	O
approaching	O
Final	O
Days	O
,	O
an	O
apocalyptic	O
event	O
that	O
threatens	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
entire	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
has	O
been	O
marketed	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
finale	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
Hydaelyn	O
–	O
Zodiark	O
arc	O
,	O
drawing	O
the	O
current	O
ongoing	O
story	O
since	O
A	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
to	O
a	O
close	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
entirely	O
new	O
story	O
beginning	O
in	O
the	O
major	O
patches	O
following	O
release	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
past	O
expansion	O
's	O
stories	O
continuing	O
into	O
midway	O
through	O
the	O
post-release	O
patches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
adding	O
new	O
areas	O
,	O
the	O
expansion	O
pack	O
increases	O
the	O
level	O
cap	O
to	O
90	O
and	O
debuts	O
two	O
new	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
"	O
jobs	O
"	O
,	O
Sage	O
and	O
Reaper	O
,	O
among	O
other	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
and	O
quest	O
structure	O
of	O
Endwalker	B-Application
largely	O
matches	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
many	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
,	O
players	O
interact	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
a	O
persistent	B-Protocol
world	I-Protocol
that	O
responds	O
to	O
their	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
ongoing	O
issues	O
with	O
numerical	O
values	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
enemy	O
health	O
pools	O
,	O
growing	O
large	O
enough	O
to	O
threaten	O
overflow	B-Error_Name
errors	I-Error_Name
,	O
Endwalker	B-Application
includes	O
a	O
numeric	O
down-scaling	O
,	O
sometimes	O
colloquially	O
referred	O
to	O
by	O
MMO	O
players	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
stat	O
squish	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
player	O
versus	O
player	O
(	O
PvP	O
)	O
overhaul	O
also	O
debuted	O
in	O
Endwalker	B-Application
,	O
with	O
PvP	O
abilities	O
for	O
all	O
jobs	O
being	O
completely	O
reworked	O
to	O
be	O
more	O
streamlined	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Estinien	O
,	O
a	O
character	O
who	O
formally	O
joined	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
allies	O
in	O
the	O
lead-up	O
to	O
Endwalker	B-Application
,	O
was	O
added	O
as	O
an	O
option	O
for	O
the	O
Trust	O
system	O
that	O
debuted	O
in	O
Shadowbringers	B-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
later	O
update	O
added	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
trust	O
system	O
in	O
A	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
and	O
Heavensward	B-Application
dungeons	O
,	O
with	O
plans	O
to	O
include	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
dungeons	O
as	O
well	O
,	O
to	O
allow	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
Main	O
Story	O
Quest	O
to	O
be	O
almost	O
fully	O
a	O
single	O
player	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
the	O
changes	O
in	O
Shadowbringers	B-Application
,	O
some	O
Main	O
Story	O
quests	O
have	O
been	O
changed	O
,	O
including	O
removing	O
the	O
trial	O
"	O
Cape	O
Westwind	O
"	O
and	O
replacing	O
it	O
with	O
a	O
single-player	O
instance	O
,	O
while	O
shortening	O
and	O
streamlining	O
the	O
dungeons	O
of	O
"	O
Castrum	O
Meridianum	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
The	O
Praetorium	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
latter	O
has	O
had	O
its	O
last	O
sections	O
—	O
a	O
chain	O
of	O
boss	O
fights	O
against	O
the	O
Ultima	O
Weapon	O
and	O
Lahabrea	O
—	O
split	O
into	O
a	O
different	O
Raid	O
and	O
single	O
player	O
instance	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Patch	O
6.2	O
of	O
Endwalker	B-Application
debuted	O
a	O
new	O
system	O
,	O
Island	O
Sanctuary	O
,	O
a	O
farming	B-Application
simulation	I-Application
mode	O
where	O
players	O
can	O
tend	O
a	O
garden	O
on	O
a	O
deserted	O
island	O
,	O
raise	O
livestock	O
,	O
and	O
interact	O
with	O
pets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
patch	O
6.18	O
,	O
the	O
World	O
Visit	O
system	O
was	O
expanded	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
travel	O
to	O
other	O
data	B-Operating_System
centers	I-Operating_System
in	O
their	O
region	O
,	O
greatly	O
increasing	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
players	O
one	O
may	O
connect	O
with	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Data	B-Operating_System
centers	I-Operating_System
were	O
also	O
added	O
for	O
the	O
Oceania	O
region	O
,	O
allowing	O
better	O
connections	O
for	O
players	O
in	O
locations	O
such	O
as	O
New	O
Zealand	O
and	O
Australia	O
,	O
rather	O
than	O
having	O
to	O
use	O
Data	B-Operating_System
Centers	I-Operating_System
intended	O
for	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Endwalker	B-Application
opens	O
as	O
the	O
Warrior	O
of	O
Light	O
and	O
Scions	O
sail	O
to	O
Old	O
Sharlayan	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Warrior	O
converses	O
with	O
Hydaelyn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Amon	O
slain	O
during	O
the	B-Protocol
expedition	I-Protocol
into	I-Protocol
the	I-Protocol
Crystal	I-Protocol
Tower	I-Protocol
was	O
one	O
of	O
his	O
clones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
,	O
the	O
Warrior	O
meets	O
Emet-Selch	B-Application
,	O
Hythlodaeus	O
,	O
and	O
Venat	O
,	O
the	O
previous	O
Azem	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
tries	O
to	O
erase	O
everyone	O
's	O
memories	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
Warrior	O
and	O
Venat	O
escape	O
;	O
Hermes	O
,	O
Emet-Selch	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Hythlodaeus	O
forget	O
all	O
these	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Confronting	O
Meteion	O
,	O
they	O
use	O
Azem	O
's	O
crystal	O
,	O
empowered	O
by	O
Hydaelyn	O
's	O
Light	O
,	O
to	O
revive	O
Emet-Selch	B-Application
and	O
Hythlodaeus	O
,	O
who	O
create	O
a	O
field	O
of	O
elpis	O
,	O
radiating	O
hope	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Emet-Selch	B-Application
and	O
Hythlodaeus	O
then	O
willingly	O
die	O
;	O
Emet-Selch	B-Application
assures	O
the	O
Warrior	O
that	O
many	O
further	O
adventures	O
await	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inspired	O
by	O
Emet-Selch	B-Application
,	O
the	O
Warrior	O
helps	O
Estinien	O
hunt	O
for	O
a	O
legendary	O
undersea	O
vault	O
near	O
Thavnair	O
,	O
joined	O
by	O
Y'shtola	O
,	O
G'raha	O
,	O
and	O
Urianger	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Planning	O
for	O
expansions	O
like	O
Endwalker	B-Application
began	O
shortly	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
preceding	O
expansion	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
scriptwriting	O
retreat	O
"	O
involving	O
producer	O
and	O
director	O
Naoki	O
Yoshida	O
and	O
the	O
main	O
scenario	O
writers	O
,	O
Natsuko	O
Ishikawa	O
and	O
Banri	O
Oda	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Expansions	O
for	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
are	O
designed	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
offline	O
RPGs	O
in	O
length	O
and	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
latter	O
30%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
takes	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
console	O
's	O
larger	O
internal	B-Architecture
memory	I-Architecture
to	O
improve	O
load	O
times	O
and	O
includes	O
higher	O
quality	O
graphics	O
,	O
DualSense	O
controller	O
rumble	B-Device
support	O
,	O
and	O
improved	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
version	O
,	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
version	O
is	O
now	O
in	O
active	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Endwalker	B-Application
was	O
delayed	O
by	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Square	O
Enix	O
moved	O
to	O
remote	O
work	O
in	O
April	O
2020	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
state	B-Application
of	I-Application
emergency	I-Application
declared	O
in	O
Tokyo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Endwalker	B-Application
was	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
a	O
Q3	O
2021	O
release	O
but	O
was	O
ultimately	O
delayed	O
to	O
Q4	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Expansions	O
for	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
are	O
traditionally	O
announced	O
at	O
Fan	O
Festival	O
,	O
a	O
biennial	O
convention	O
that	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
,	O
but	O
these	O
events	O
were	O
cancelled	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
chose	O
the	O
timing	O
of	O
the	O
digital	O
Fan	O
Festival	O
to	O
fall	O
in	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
story-based	O
updates	O
in	O
Patch	O
5.5	O
of	O
Shadowbringers	B-Application
to	O
encourage	O
speculation	O
about	O
the	O
plot	O
of	O
Endwalker	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
described	O
the	O
story	O
for	O
Endwalker	B-Application
as	O
the	O
conclusion	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
Hydaelyn	O
–	O
Zodiark	O
arc	O
"	O
that	O
began	O
with	O
A	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
decision	O
to	O
conclude	O
the	O
long-running	O
arc	O
came	O
about	O
after	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
2017	O
's	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
expansion	O
secured	O
greater	O
funding	O
for	O
the	O
title	O
as	O
a	O
whole	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
previous	O
expansions	O
where	O
the	O
main	O
story	O
continues	O
in	O
content	O
added	O
in	O
patches	O
,	O
the	O
primary	O
conflict	O
of	O
Endwalker	B-Application
was	O
resolved	O
within	O
the	O
expansion	O
itself	O
and	O
the	O
patch	O
content	O
will	O
debut	O
a	O
new	O
story	O
arc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
has	O
a	O
preliminary	O
road	O
map	O
for	O
at	O
least	O
five	O
years	O
of	O
content	O
beyond	O
Endwalker	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadowbringers	B-Application
introduced	O
Viera	O
and	O
Hrothgar	O
as	O
playable	O
races	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
time	O
and	O
resource	O
constraints	O
,	O
only	O
one	O
gender	O
of	O
each	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Endwalker	B-Application
debuted	O
with	O
male	O
Viera	O
,	O
while	O
female	O
Hrothgar	O
will	O
become	O
available	O
at	O
a	O
later	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Patches	O
and	O
expansions	O
Patch	O
Title	O
Release	O
date	O
Notes	O
6.0	O
Endwalker	B-Application
December	O
7	O
,	O
2021	O
Weekly	O
limited	O
content	O
and	O
Savage	O
difficulty	O
Pandæmonium	O
raids	O
were	O
not	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
expansion	O
's	O
launch	O
day	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
enjoy	O
the	O
story	O
at	O
their	O
own	O
pace	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
quotes	O
musical	O
phrases	O
and	O
lyrics	O
from	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
expansions	O
 '	O
main	O
themes	O
to	O
highlight	O
Endwalker	B-Application
status	O
as	O
the	O
conclusion	O
of	O
a	O
long-running	O
story	O
arc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sam	O
Carter	O
of	O
Architects	O
provided	O
the	O
main	O
vocals	O
with	O
Amanda	O
Achen	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
performed	O
on	O
Shadowbringers	B-Application
,	O
on	O
background	O
vocals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
cover	O
features	O
elements	O
of	O
"	O
Prelude	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
theme	O
included	O
in	O
many	O
entries	O
of	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Endwalker	B-Application
received	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
PC	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
version	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamesRadar+	O
called	O
the	O
expansion	O
a	O
"	O
landmark	O
achievement	O
in	O
narrative	O
development	O
"	O
and	O
cited	O
it	O
as	O
cementing	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
as	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
games	I-Application
ever	O
made	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Leif	O
Johnson	O
of	O
IGN	O
praised	O
the	O
title	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
deliver	O
enriching	O
content	O
despite	O
its	O
aging	O
resources	O
,	O
writing	O
:	O
"	O
Packed	O
with	O
hours	O
of	O
meaningful	O
cutscenes	O
and	O
unforgettable	O
new	O
zones	O
,	O
Endwalker	B-Application
marks	O
a	O
satisfying	O
conclusion	O
to	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIVs	I-Protocol
story	O
as	O
it	O
has	O
existed	O
to	O
date	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
called	O
the	O
two	O
new	O
added	O
jobs	O
"	O
terrific	O
fun	O
"	O
and	O
the	O
narrative	O
both	O
"	O
ambitious	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
messy	O
"	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
expansion	O
"represent[ed]	O
FF14s	B-Protocol
development	O
team	O
at	O
their	O
peak	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
