Final Fantasy 14 Getting a Major Graphics Update with New Requirements for Dawntrail Expansion

ign.com:

Final Fantasy XIV is receiving a major graphics makeover in an update for the upcoming Dawntrail expansion.

At Final Fantasy Fest 2023, producer Naoki Yoshida said in the Final Fantasy XIV keynote that the graphics update will improve the screen-wide aesthetic appeal and higher-resolution textures and shadows. The quality of the improved material in the game preserves the overall look you know and love, specifically the look and feel of existing characters.

"We're really taking care that you'll look at your updated character and won't say, 'Oh that's really not what I expected at all,'" Yoshida said, pointing out that all the characters, including NPCs, will have improved hair texture, improved eyes, and beautiful skin.

The update will buff up the metal on armor and other objects to make them shinier than they were in the game's previous updates. Even more so now that the lighting will be enhanced.

"You'll notice that the 7.0 areas are kind of prettier than the previous areas," Yoshida said. "But in the old areas things like the shadow improvements and the lighting will be automatically applied. It will take some time to add those extra objects I mentioned, but in terms of visuals it will look better."

The game's vegetation will also be given a brighter pop of color. Enhanced lighting will be automatically applied in the update, but the poly count won't increase as much.

"[Plants and grass] will automatically be applied to the system. We can't automatically increase the poly account available in the game... Grapes, grapes, we must mention the grapes. I just need you to know that we cannot give any more polygons to the grapes," Yoshida said. "With these graphic updates, it's not just that things are getting prettier. There are