'Final Fantasy XIV' DLC news: 'Stormblood' expansion's launch date officially revealed

Square Enix has recently announced that the next expansion for "Final Fantasy XIV" will go live on June 20, 2017.

The expansion's release date was confirmed during the game's Fan Fest event which was held over the weekend. Through the game's official Twitter page, fans were given a first look at the contents of the "Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood" Collector's Edition that will be available soon. "Here's a close-up look at some of the #Stormblood CE contents revealed earlier today at Tokyo #FanFest2016. Pre-orders start 1/24/17!" the caption reads. It includes an exclusive Zenos figure, an artwork done by Yoshitaka Amano, and in-game items, to name a few.

According to Gamespot, Stormblood will give fans a full standalone game's worth of content. Aside from the new areas, there will also be new dungeons, Primals, along with a high-end raid titled "Return to Ivalice." Set to take place in Ala Mhigo, the upcoming expansion will feature Zenos as the main antagonist in the story. Reports say that the said character will have strong ties to the highlands, making him more challenging to beat. Although not much is known about the mysterious character/s that may surround him, epic boss battles will certainly be included when the DLC arrives next year.

In addition, characters will be allowed to swim and dive in the new Stormblood expansion. This is a first for "Final Fantasy" players, and Square Enix has already explained that these abilities can be learned over the course of the new DLC. A redesigned battle system and an increased inventory can also be expected from the update. Lakshmi, Lady of Bliss will be introduced as the new primal, while the Ananta will be launched in the expansion as the new primal's source of worship.