Final Fantasy 14’s most recent Letter from the Producer has unveiled some details coming in the next update, including a wonderful little surprise that some casual solo content is coming alongside the usual slew of new story quests.
The new Island Sanctuary mode will be casual, solo content. “Build your own personal island sanctuary!,” says the description. “Enjoy new casual solo gameplay: gather materials, care for creatures, build facilities, craft items, and more.” The crops you can grow on your island will apparently be different than estate crops, and you won’t need experience as a Disciple of the Land or Hand.
Everyone will get their own island to explore, gather from, build, and harvest on. Items from the island will also go into their own inventory. Part of the experience will apparently be finding rare seeds and variant colors of rare island animals to add to your base of operations on the island. Items from the island will be sold for an island-specific currency, which can be used to buy special items only from the islands.
Patch 6.2, Buried Memory, will release near the end of August 2022.
The patch will also include new weapon enhancement quests unlocked in the “Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures” for—no joke—legendary “Manderville Weapons.”
You get an island, and you get an island, we all get an island! 🏝️Enjoy collecting materials and caring for animals on your very own Island Sanctuary! 🏖️ pic.twitter.com/XUY8na9ckXJuly 1, 2022
If this ends up being too casual for you, or too small a bite of farm life, Square Enix is also working on a full-on farming sim called Harvestella. (opens in new tab)