Final Fantasy 14: Patch 7.3 Brings Player-Requested Improvements and New Features

During the 87th Letter From the Producer LIVE broadcast, Final Fantasy 14 director and producer Naoki Yoshida announced that several changes and new features will be implemented in Patch 7.3 after rounds of player feedback. The upcoming patch promises to bring several improvements to the game, including alterations to the Occult Crescent and Cosmic Exploration instances, as well as new hat options for Viera and Hrothgar characters and the long-awaited Chat Bubbles feature.

Yoshida and global community producer Toshio Murouchi started the Live Letter by apologizing to Final Fantasy 14 players for the added periods of server maintenance since the launch of Patch 7.25 in late May. Yoshida stated that he felt that the game's quality of service had been diminished due to frequent hotfixes, and noted that the development team would redouble its efforts to satisfy players.

In addition to the changes to the Occult Crescent and Cosmic Exploration, Patch 7.3 will add the option for premade alliances of up to 48 players to queue into the same instance of the Forked Tower: Blood raid. This change was in response to player feedback, as well as adjustments to the Auroral Mirages weather effect, which is needed to enter the Forked Tower. The upcoming Forked Tower: Magic raid in the Patch 7.5 series will have Normal and Savage versions for players of all skill levels.

Cosmic Exploration will also include a retainer bell, the ability for players to use their mounts on current and future planets, and will change certain NPC placements. Viera and Hrothgar characters will receive new headgear options, including additional hats and helms that were not previously available on those character models. The Viera will also have a new option to hide their ears with specific headpieces.

Yoshida revealed that the highly anticipated Chat Bubbles feature is also in active development, which can be used in Final Fantasy 14 for roleplay and other purposes. Other features, including the next Ultimate raid and the White Board for endgame raiders, will be implemented in future patches.

Overall, Patch 7.3 is shaping up to be a significant update for Final Fantasy 14, with a focus on improving player experience and adding new features based on player feedback. With these changes, it seems that the development team is committed to continuing to improve the game and provide a better overall experience for players.