The countdown is almost over: Final Fantasy XIV’s highly anticipated Dawntrail expansion arrives after a marathon 48-hour maintenance, with early access unlocking on June 28 at 2 a.m. PDT for those who pre-ordered. Whether you’re on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, prepare to dive into new adventures the moment the servers roar back to life-just don’t forget to log off in a sanctuary and brace for the rush as Eorzea’s gates swing open once more.
Below, we explain when FFXIV Dawntrail maintenance ends and some of the things you can look forward to when the expansion launches.
What time does FFXIV maintenance end and servers come back online?
FFXIV servers are scheduled to come back online at 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. BST / 11 a.m. CEST / 6 p.m. JST / 7 p.m. AEDT) on Friday, June 28, 2024, following a 48-hour maintenance window for the Dawntrail expansion. This extended downtime is significantly longer than usual patch maintenance, so players should plan accordingly. Once maintenance concludes, both early access and the new content for Dawntrail will be available immediately as the servers reopen. Be prepared for potential login queues when the servers return, as demand is expected to be high.
Final Fantasy 14’s 48-hour maintenance ends on Friday, June 28, at the following times:
- 2 a.m. PDT for the west coast of North America
- 5 a.m. EDT for the east coast of North America
- 10 a.m. BST for the U.K.
- 11 a.m. CEST for western Europe/Paris
- 6 p.m. JST for Japan/Tokyo
- 7 p.m. AEDT for Australia/Sydney
From there, you will only have access to Dawntrail content if you pre-ordered the expansion. Otherwise, you can only start playing from Tuesday, June 2.
What’s new in FFXIV 7.0?
FFXIV Patch 7.0, launching alongside the Dawntrail expansion, brings a wealth of new features and content. The level cap for all combat and crafting classes rises from 90 to 100, opening up a new main scenario questline set in the vibrant continent of Tural, with over 100 quests to explore. Two new jobs debut: the melee DPS Viper and the magical ranged DPS Pictomancer, each with unique abilities and questlines. Players can journey through new zones such as Tuliyollal, Urqopacha, Yak T’el, and more, while tackling fresh dungeons, trials, and the first tier of the Arcadion raid series. A major graphical update enhances character models, environments, and lighting, and new system features like dual gear dye channels, expanded privacy tools, and improved blacklisting options improve the overall experience. Additionally, side story quests now use Quest Sync to scale with player level, and new crafting and gathering content has been introduced, making Dawntrail the most expansive update yet.
Oh, boy. A lot of stuff is coming in this FFXIV patch, since it’s the launch of a new expansion, Dawntrail.
Looking beyond the expansion content itself (new Pictomancer and Viper jobs, the ability to play as female Hrothgar, new story, dungeons, trials, etc.), there’s also a good chunk of quality-of-life features for all players to enjoy, even if you’re not grabbing Dawntrail just yet.
Here’s some of our favorites, real quick:
- You can set it so text auto-advance during cutscenes only happens during voice-acted dialog, so you won’t have to deal with the auto settings going too fast while you’re reading a brick of un-voiced text.
- You can add up to 10 phrases to a blocklist, automatically blocking any message that includes that phrase from appearing. (Sorry, but goodbye to every casino or nightclub RP venue advertisement I’ve ever seen while in a major city!)
- Wondrous Tails now groups alliance raids and normal raids together, rather than requiring you to complete a specific one. For example, you won’t see Syrcus Tower appear in your book, but you’ll see “Alliance Raids (A Realm Reborn)” instead.
Will the Dawntrail download start during the scheduled maintenance on June 27
Yes, the Dawntrail download will begin during the scheduled maintenance on June 27 for PC players. Specifically, Windows, Mac, and Steam users can start downloading the expansion on June 27 around 8:00 AM PDT (11:00 AM EDT / 5:00 PM CEST), which is during the ongoing 48-hour maintenance window. Console players (PS4, PS5, Xbox) will have access to the download earlier, starting June 26 around 4:00 AM PDT (7:00 AM EDT).
Square Enix will announce via the Lodestone when the patch is available for each platform, and the exact release time may vary slightly depending on network conditions.
Will the Dawntrail download begin during the June 27 maintenance window
Yes, the Dawntrail download will begin during the June 27 maintenance window. For PC, Mac, and Steam users, the patch becomes available for download on June 27 around 8:00 AM PDT (11:00 AM EDT / 5:00 PM CEST), which is while the 48-hour maintenance is still ongoing. Console players (PlayStation and Xbox) can start downloading earlier, on June 26 around 4:00 AM PDT. Square Enix will post an announcement on the Lodestone as soon as the patch is live for download.
