How Square Enix Will Celebrate 10 Years Of Final Fantasy XIV

When playing MMORPGs, six is a magic number. I started playing EVE Online, which launched in 2003, in 2009. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (we don't talk about 1.0) launched in 2013 and I started playing in 2019. So while EVE celebrated its 20th anniversary on 6 May, FFXIV will officially celebrate 10 years of operation on 27 August. Having travelled to Iceland for EVE's 10-year celebration, I'm interested in how Square Enix will celebrate 10 years of operation in its second MMORPG.

We received a hint Tuesday when SE launched the 10th year anniversary site. Instead of concentrating on a short period of time, events are planned for throughout the year. Here is what we know so far.

28-29 July - North American Fan Festival in Las Vegas. The celebration starts early with the first of three player conventions spread thoughout the world.

29 July - Crystalline Conflict Tournament for North America. What is a convention without a PvP tournament? Wait, is that the EVE player in me coming out? Anyway, if I had to guess based on what I've seen so far, we may see a global PvP championship held somewhere down the line.

30 July - Eorzean Symphony in the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. What is it about having video game music performed by a symphony orchestra? CCP set up a performance of EVE Online music at the HARPA back in 2013. Square Enix will have two performances of FFXIV music in Las Vegas.

Release of patch 6.45 - Limited-time Group Pose Frames & Stickers. I'm not sure what "limited-time" means for this promotion. Does it mean that players will only have a limited time to acquire the frames and stickers to show the world they were playing during the 10th anniversary? Or does it mean the frames and stickers will only be available to use for a limited time. Either way, I expect the glam set to jump on the opportunity for more gpose goodness.

26 August - Fireworks and music display in Osaka, Japan. The first of two fireworks displays Square Enix will hold in Japan to celebrate the 10th anniversary. According to the advertisements, the company is holding two separate fireworks sessions on the night of the 26th.

27 August - The Rising. The annual short event where Yoshi-P enters the game to give players a message. The event lasted 2 weeks last year. A must attend event to start out the year.

27 August - Moogle Treasure Trove. The Moogle Treausre Trove is usually an event that runs one month before the launch of a patch and offers players a chance at in-game items that usually takes a lot more effort. I expect the event to have some possibly discontinued items going back through history offered up in August and September.

21-22 October - European Fanfest in London. The second of three Fanfests held around the world, the event is not anniversary specific and will probably focus on the game going forward as much or more than looking back at the past. 

22 October - Crystalline Conflict Tournament for Europe. I'm penciling in the second day of the European Fanfest for the PvP tournament.

23 October - Eorzean Symphony at Eventim Apollo, London. Once again, Square Enix will have music performed the day after Fanfest, this time in London.

November 2023 - Fireworks and music display in Kanto, Japan. The second of two fireworks, this one in the region around Tokoyo and Yokohama. With the name of the region, instead of a city, on the site, I'm guessing the location as well as the exact date of the display is still up in the air.

7-8 January, 2024 - Japanese Fanfest in Tokoyo. The final Fanfests held around the world, the event is not anniversary specific and historically focuses on the next expansion.

8 January, 2024 - Crystalline Conflict Tournament for Japan. I'm penciling in the second day of the Japanese Fanfest for the PvP tournament.

Spring 2024 - 10th Anniversary 14-hour Broadcast. In Yoshi-P's neverending effort to convince people he doesn't sleep, he will host another one of his 14-hour streams, this one focusing on the past 10 years of FFXIV. I imagine he will also do an extensive stream covering the next expansion around that time as well.

That is the schedule of in-game and real world events known at the time of the publishing of this article. The company is stepping up its game this year with fireworks displays and symphony orchestras. I'll be interested to see if more events are added to the website, of if the only additions over the next year are filling in the missing dates.