The update schedule for Final Fantasy 14 is being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and while the developers don't yet know how long it will be, they're keeping a sunny attitude.
Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida addressed the game's community in an update on its official website. Yoshida's post explains that version 5.25, the latest patch for FF14, was able to go up according to schedule on April 7 because most of the work for it was done in the process of making the last patch. The situation is different now that the team is working on update 5.3, which was originally scheduled for mid-June.
Yoshida was quite transparent about all the factors impacting work on the game right now: on top of the game's Tokyo-based development moving to work from home, graphical assets and voice recordings from worldwide studios have been delayed, and QA and production departments are dealing with reduced work capacity. All this in mind, Yoshida can't say yet whether update 5.3 will be delayed by a few weeks or closer to a month.
"We are terribly sorry for the disappointment this may cause our players, as we know you look forward to new patches," Yoshida wrote. "However, it is also important to prioritize the physical and mental health of our development team, without whom we would never be able to release the quality updates and features you expect from FFXIV, so we ask for your understanding as we adjust our schedule in accordance with the situation."
He also took a minute to reassure fans that the teams behind the game "are all doing fine at present" and they're exploring the best methods for working remotely. Yoshida closed the update with an uplifting note (and also a nod toward the FF14 free trial).
"While many of us worldwide remain inside our homes, we should remember to let joy and laughter fill them - because in times like these, it’s especially important to find happiness where you can. I certainly hope that in delving into parts of FFXIV that you have yet to try - battles to be won, new jobs with which to hone your skills, connecting with in-game friends, and having fun together - your days will seem a little brighter."
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