Ff14 When Will Aether Open

Hello anybody, and Happy New Year! This is Producer & Managing director Naoki Yoshida. I thank y'all for sticking with us through 2021, and ask for your continued support in 2022!

Since officially launching on December 7 last year, Endwalker has experienced extremely high levels of congestion, causing our players a groovy deal of frustration. The job of rebalancing jobs also remains, and we volition continue working on this and other adjustments.

While certain Worlds continue to feel congestion during top times, our program to fundamentally address the problem is beginning to have shape, and I'd like to share the roadmap with you.

Earlier I go along, just a warning that this announcement covers a wide range of subjects, and is quite long. Though I explicate things in guild, feel free to skip to the sections that interest you, when y'all find a moment.

Opening of Oceanian Data Centre
Recommencement of the Dwelling World Transfer Service
Launching of Information Centre Travel System
Expansion of Japanese Data Centers
Expansion of North American Data Centers
Expansion of European Data Centers
Resumption of Digital Sales to New Players
Concluding Notes

Opening of Oceanian Data Eye

The Oceanian Data Center, which we've been planning for some fourth dimension, will be opening approximately ii weeks earlier than scheduled. This may be a little sudden, only nosotros'll exist bringing it online on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 (JST).

Additionally, taking into account the current number of players in Oceania, the original plan was to initially add three Worlds and later introduce two more. In light of the recent influx of players, all the same, nosotros've decided to add 5 new Worlds from the start. With this, there should exist more than enough room for everyone in Oceania to transfer over. Those in Oceania who accept struggled with network latency problems should also take a better play feel.

This will be explained in detail separately, but these existence new Worlds, we'll be offering incentives to transfer to them, such as waiving the transfer fee. We hope you take reward of these bonuses.

Recommencement of the Habitation Globe Transfer Service

Due to server congestion post-obit the launch of Endwalker, the Dwelling World Transfer Service is currently suspended. Notwithstanding, with logins becoming less concentrated due to players making progress, and the Oceanian Data Center now fix, we'll be resuming the service on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 (JST).

This comes 1 day after the Oceanian Data Centre opens on January 25, in guild to ensure a smoothen and stable launch. We'll apply the time to confirm that the data center can operate without upshot, handling logins and normal play, when it goes live. Nosotros inquire for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

Furthermore, upon resumption, the Dwelling Globe Transfer Service will be available to all players in all data centers, not only to those transferring to the Oceanian Data Center. Those who wish to change Abode Worlds may do so, with the exception of transfers to sure congested Worlds.

For more details on the bonuses for transferring to a new World, please refer to this announcement.

Launching of Data Eye Travel Organisation

In response to congestion following Endwalker's release, nosotros had postponed the launch of the Data Center Travel System. It is now being planned for a half-dozen.1x patch. To briefly explain how the system works:

Players will exist able to visit Worlds in other logical data centers within the same physical information center.
Players volition non exist able to visit Worlds in other regions/physical data centers.
Though cross-region travel is technically possible, implementation is notwithstanding under consideration.
Travel is initiated not while logged into the game, but from the grapheme option screen.

Every bit I previously mentioned in a Live Letter, while the system has been designed to permit cross-region travel, we'll be limiting it to travel between logical data centers within a physical data eye at first due in office to differences in game economy and values. We'll be paying swell attending to the opinions of players every bit we consider whether or not to innovate cantankerous-region travel in the future.

Compared to the World Visit System we already take in place, the Data Center Travel System will be subject to more restrictions for those functions that are managed per logical data center, such as free company chat and cross-world linkshells. This is due to the fact that it isn't possible to proceed an centre on chat and cross-world servers outside the bounds of a logical data middle.

Bated from that, however, at that place are just well-nigh no restrictions. Exist it undertaking quests, forming parties, or using the Duty Finder, you'll be able to play the game equally usual (If you have a means to communicate with others, such as the Lodestone or the Companion app, it should exist possible to course static parties).

If you want to join a gratuitous visitor or linkshell in some other data center, you'll need to transfer your Home World, but we think that the system will otherwise provide an enjoyable experience. Nosotros enquire for your patience only a little longer.

Expansion of Japanese Data Centers

Currently, our Japanese data center comprises 3 logical data centers and 32 Worlds. In 2013, when A Realm Reborn was released, we aggressively increased the number of Worlds to cope with congestion. As a effect of this, we now take a state of affairs where 10 to xi Worlds are handled by each logical data center, making efficient operation impossible. Equally a result, we are unable to increase the number of simultaneous logins per Earth in the same manner as with the Due north American and European data centers, leading to extreme congestion.

Therefore, from a long-term perspective, we are looking to add together 1 more than logical data eye and lower the book of Worlds per logical data middle, thereby significantly increasing the maximum number of concurrent logins possible past several thousand per Earth.

Number of logical information centers: iii ⇒ 4
Number of Worlds: 32 ⇒ (unchanged)
Capacity: Overall possible simultaneous logins encompassing all Worlds increased past 50,000 or more

To this end, we would like to ask you to bear with us every bit we reconfigure the composition of Worlds from a 3-logical-DC configuration of 10:11:11 to a four-logical-DC configuration of 8:eight:viii:8.

We believe that—taking into account the floor space of the data center where the servers are physically housed and the current semiconductor shortage—this will be the fastest and most efficient method for large-calibration expansion. In terms of customs maintenance, this will involve a partial regrouping of Worlds, which we understand will cause a great deal of inconvenience to players using the Japanese Information Center. We intend to practise everything in our power to mitigate this by implementing information center transfer and through use of the Home World Transfer service. We offer our sincere apologies in accelerate for whatsoever trouble this will cause, and appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

The installation of new logical information centers and big-scale changes to World configuration are currently scheduled to be implemented around July 2022. This volition permit us to take the needed time to carefully analyze the state of affairs and prevent matching imbalances in each logical data center. Once again, nosotros inquire for your understanding equally nosotros go on with this of import upgrade.

Expansion of North American Data Centers

Currently, the North American Data Center houses three logical information centers and 24 Worlds (an 8:viii:8 configuration). In social club to cope with a drastic increase in player population, we are planning a two-phase major server expansion. Due to the global shortage of semiconductors, it has taken considerable time to procure server equipment, simply the schedule calls for the first phase to exist implemented around August 2022, with the 2nd phase to follow in the spring or summer of 2023.

In the first stage of the expansion, scheduled for August 2022, 1 new logical information center will exist established and iv new Worlds volition be added under it. In the 2nd phase of the expansion, nosotros plan to add 4 more new Worlds under the newly established logical DC, resulting in a four-logical-DC configuration of viii:viii:viii:8. While we had originally hoped to add all eight new Worlds at once in Baronial 2022, the aforementioned semiconductor shortage has dictated that we introduce the upgrade in two stages. Again, nosotros ask for your understanding and patience in this thing.

In addition to the above, we are likewise considering a still-larger-scale upgrade at the time of the next major expansion (Patch vii.0). We volition exist sure to update yous with farther details regarding this equally our plans take shape.

Expansion of European Data Centers

Currently, the European data centre comprises two data centers and 12 Worlds (a 6:6 configuration). In order to accommodate the substantial increment in player population, we are planning a major server expansion in two phases, similar to that planned for the North American data centre. Due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, it will accept time for requisite server equipment to be delivered. Every bit such, the commencement stage of this expansion is scheduled for July 2022, while the second is scheduled for the summer of 2023.

In the first phase of the expansion, scheduled for July 2022, a total of four new Worlds volition be added, two under each of the logical data centers shortly housed in the European Information Center. In the second phase, one new logical data center will be established and 8 new Worlds will be added under information technology, resulting in a three-logical-DC configuration of 8:8:8. The same semiconductor shortage requires nosotros bear out this upgrade in two stages, and nosotros enquire for your understanding and patience as we continue making preparations.

What's more than, in apprehension of further expansion, we are working to secure flooring space for a fourth logical information center. Preparations are also being made in the event the add-on of this logical data center is needed earlier than anticipated.

Resumption of Digital Sales to New Players

After due consideration of the following factors, we will be resuming digital sales starting on January 25, 2022 at 5:00 p.yard. (JST):

Opening of the Oceanian Data Center, and the capacity to accommodate boosted players.
Our desire to provide a suitable surround for new players in the Oceania region.
The play time and log in frequency of current players is steadily returning to normal levels.

Yet, in the result servers continue to feel farthermost levels of congestion, nosotros may consider suspending digital sales again. We are enlightened that certain Worlds are experiencing high server traffic at summit times, and while some may consider this conclusion to resume sales to exist premature, nosotros enquire for your understanding in this affair.

Nosotros would also similar to resume registration for the free trial afterwards monitoring server stability a while longer.

Final Notes

Once again, I wish to apologize for the delays to server expansion caused by the global semiconductor shortage. The necessity for communities to separate due to the regrouping of Worlds is another inconvenience that may evidence unavoidable for some players, and nosotros ask for your understanding every bit we work to alleviate this effect.

Despite these hardships, still, nosotros believe this server expansion is a meaning step forward in providing players the best gaming experience possible in FFXIV. Work on bolstering the servers volition keep well into 2023, expending a vast amount of financial resources and manpower, but we will do our utmost to ensure this endeavor has no negative impact on your ability to play, and then we would appreciate your support while you go on on your adventures.

Equally mentioned earlier, nosotros're also hard at work not but on further job adjustments, but other heady new content for the half dozen.x serial, besides as plans for our next expansion (Patch 7.0). In fact, I have a few announcements planned for the cease of February, and so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our side by side Letter from the Producer Live.

Until adjacent fourth dimension, here's to another great year of Terminal FANTASY Fourteen!

Naoki Yoshida

Concluding FANTASY Fourteen Producer & Director