Final Fantasy XIV's next expansion, Dawntrail, is set to launch in early access this week. Before you can explore the beautiful continent of Tural, the game will be offline for approximately 48 hours. It's the perfect time to wrap up any last-minute tasks before you say goodbye to Eorzea for a few days.
Maintenance schedule
The pre-expansion maintenance begins on June 26 at 2 a.m. PDT for all platforms. During this period, the version 7.0 patch will be available for download at around 4 a.m. PDT on consoles, and on June 27 at approximately 8 a.m. PDT for PC and Mac players. The maintenance duration may vary as usual, but you can expect the 7.0 patch to be live around June 28 at 2 a.m. PDT. This downtime will last for two days across all platforms. Once the game is back online, those who have pre-ordered Dawntrail can dive into the new expansion. The regular release is scheduled for July 2.
According to Live Letter 82, the patch will be around 55 GB. Between June 26 and June 28, the game itself, the online store, Lodestone, and the official companion app will also undergo maintenance at different times.
Preparing for the downtime
Before maintenance begins, there are several things you should do to prepare for the game's downtime. The Yokai Watch collaboration event will run until maintenance starts, so grab any remaining weapons or mounts you want before the game goes offline on June 26. If you're visiting another world or data centre, ensure you return to your home world to avoid any travel issues when Dawntrail launches.
Other essential tasks include logging into your house (if you own one) to refresh the housing timer, as the new expansion may cause congestion. If you plan to switch your race to female Hrothgar when Dawntrail launches, use a Fantasia before logging out before maintenance. Remember to unquip your gear first. This will allow you to immediately change races when you log back in once patch 7.0 is live. Lastly, log out in a sanctuary to get the rested EXP buff, which will help you level up quickly when starting Dawntrail's story quests.
Finding things to do during the downtime
With the game down for two days, you must find something else to occupy your time. Consider reading a good book, trying out knitting, or playing another game from your backlog. Once Dawntrail releases, you probably won't have much free time for a while.
Prepare yourself for the exciting adventures in Tural and make the most of the downtime before diving into Final Fantasy XIV's newest expansion.
