Final Fantasy XIV fans are wondering, where’s Patch 5.25? In the Live Letter from the Producer for Patch 5.2: Echoes of a Fallen Star, it was announced that Patch 5.25 would follow shortly after Patch 5.21.
On April 2, Square Enix announced that Patch 5.25 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 7.
The highly anticipated patch is expected to contain a new trial and the introduction of the Shadowbringers incarnation of relic weapons. The new Resistance Weapon questline, titled Save the Queen: Blades of Gunnhildr, treads some familiar ground.
For years, Bozja─homeland of the Hrothgar─has remained at the mercy of Garlean rulers. But the Empire has fallen into disarray, and the people of Doma and Ala Mhigo have risen up to challenge their authority. The Bozjans, while heartened at this news, yet lack the means to join the rebellion. To that end, they seek a standard under which their people may gather. A weapon of legend…
In addition to the new combat relics, 5.25 also introduces new Skybuilders tools for crafters and gatherers. These will be upgradeable over time, but details are sparse.
The FFXIV community speculates that the April 7 date may have been pushed back. Looking at the history of similar patches, Patch 4.25 came six weeks after Patch 4.2 launched. The same goes for Patch 3.25. The Final Fantasy XIV development team loves patterns; the community has historically been able to predict upcoming patches weeks and months in advance. April 1 would have been six weeks since Patch 5.2.
The FFXIV development team shared a post, dated March 31, on the Lodestone about potential delays due to COVID-19:
“Depending on the situation and regulations enacted within each city or country, we may experience limits imposed on development and operations, schedule delays, or further disruption to customer support. We will be taking precautions in the best interest of the safety of our staff and local communities while minimizing the effects on our services as much as possible. We will share further updates via the Lodestone news as the situation evolves.”
The coronavirus has disrupted some of the FFXIV operations team already. Late last month, they announced that their California-based North American support services would be limited because of shelter-in-place measures to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.
