Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest Berlin 2026 Report: Bastion Job, Final Fantasy VII Content & More!

Square Enix has returned to Germany for the second part of the Final Fantasy XIV Evercold Fan Fest tour; as with the previous Fan Fest, the trailer starts the show. This trailer is slightly extended compared to what we saw previously, and gives us a look at the new tank job, Bastion. This job uses two gun shields as its main weapon type, with fans expecting something like this due to the previous T-shirt tease.

Bastion seems to have a mix of close- and long-range techniques to keep the enemy off the team and to help defend them with curative abilities. I can’t wait to see more of this job in the future. The job will unlock at Limsa Lominsa and will start at level 90, and we know that another ranged job is coming in this expansion, but we probably won’t hear anything till Japan Fan Fest in October.

Square Enix also reconfirmed a January 2027 release date, though an exact date has yet to be revealed – we’ll probably learn this information at Japan Fan Fest in October.

Though most of the story is still being kept from us till after 7.56, we did learn that we will be heading to the 4th Realm. This realm has been hit by an ice calamity. The people living here have moved to the sky on Realm Ships. These ships stay in the air to protect against the harsh climate below. Each ship seems to be based on a different element, and wewere able to see the relationship of water and fire. The team showcased some in-game footage of the water ship, revealing the graphics have noticeably improved over the years with stylish-looking trees and impressive-looking water effects. Elsewhere, Square Enix showed off one of the new towns in the expansion. The music in the video footage we were shown is not the music in the full game; the current music for the town is still in development. Soken made the track in one night because the original default music didn’t fit the theme of the town. Also, the fiery town being called Hringhorni is definitely an interesting choice.

One of the major changes to the main storyline is you will be able to go down different story paths (almost inspired by choose-your-own-adventure-style books from the past). For example, players will start at point A, but you will be able to do B/C/D in whatever order you want. The developers have done this kind of thing with previous expansion as a way to help with zone congestion, but the way that the expansion has been described makes this sound more advanced than before. I will add here that I do have some worries with this system. One of the key things of FFXIV is the incredible narrative. I’m worried that by having the decision, some story points won’t link together, or it could feel disjointed. Still, I trust in Yoshida and the team, so I’m sure it’ll end up a welcome addition to the game.

Meanwhile, there will be a new scaling system for this, so no matter your level or item level, you will be okay to complete the content. This will mainly affect instances and dungeons in Evercold, though I’d love to see past content with this system. Also, to make the world feel more alive, they are working on a system currently named “World Raids,” though this name is currently subject to change.

The Chocobo system is also finally getting an update, though the team didn’t go into the specifics on how the new system works, especially for those who already leveled the Chocobo up. However, players will be able to bring their Chocobo companion into dungeons with you. You and one friend plus both your Chocobos making a light party can do the Evercold dungeons together this will launch with 8.1. Then in 8.2 there will be changes to the Chocobo breeding system. They also plan to change how the combat system works and to rework Gyshal Greens but currently no details.

Talking battles, Square Enix mentioned that only 14-20% of the player base completes the savage raid content. Though this third difficulty got announced recently, they mentioned that it will give seasonal gear. Seasons will last one odd and one even patch; for example, 8.0 and 8.1. While we didn’t get an official name for this tier yet, it will be announced at Japan Fanfest; the developers did, however, confirm the difficulty will be around the extreme trial level. I think this might be a little too easy, especially if it’s supposed to be a stepping stone into Savage raiding, but we will see at launch.

We also learned the theme of the eight-person raid, with it being centred around Final Fantasy VII. As someone who has enjoyed the original and the remake, I am looking forward to this raid series. Also announced were Tifa and Barret outfits plus the gun-arm fashion accessory. The three tiers for Beyond the Lifestream will be available starting in Patch 8.01.

Continuing the Final Fantasy VII collaboration, a new Gold Saucer based on the one from the classic RPG was announced for October. Not only that, but a new typing-based mini-game was announced called “Keybound Brawler,” which at launch will feature four-player-based gameplay with words based on the Final Fantasy VII universe. In the future we could get other games or franchises for this mode, with Dragon Quest teased.

Finally, Square Enix announced the Collector’s Edition of Evercold. The bundle includes a Reaper figure, an Ethos metal keychain, a Kottr mini plush, and a tapestry of the fourth in a box with Reaper artwork by Yoshitaka Amano. Digital items include the Vallhallar Odin mount from Final Fantasy XIII, as well as an Entreat Crystal Emote and the Crystal Skyltborg weapon for Bastion. Currently there’s no set date for the pre-order or the price, but we’ll keep you updated.

Thank you to BastionPR and Square Enix for the media invite! Needless to say, I had a ton of fun during Fan Fest over the last couple of days.