Along with the news of today’s big Patch 6.2 reveal for Final Fantasy XIV comes some further details on the game’s upcoming Island Sanctuary mode. The epic live stream reveal of ‘Buried Memory’ earlier today threw a lot of new content our way, but perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of incoming game features is the addition of the new solo island mode.
Island Sanctuary will essentially give players their very own private island, and it’s no small piece of land either. In order to access their own chunk of paradise though, players will need to ensure they complete the base storyline of the Endwalker Patch 6.0 first. After that, they’ll be able to head off to their own personalised beach, where an entire island will be waiting for them to explore and make their own.
The new mode essentially adds Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley-style mechanics into Final Fantasy XIV, whereby players can use their island as a place to call home while they plant and grow crops, harvest resources and build their very own little hideaway, as well as other assorted buildings and farming-related structures. The island itself will be a non-combat zone and exploration will be boosted thanks to increased mount speed, so getting out into the wilds of your own little haven should be much easier.
To add to the farming and crafting, players will also be able to collect and make use of the wide variety of wildlife they’ll find roaming the island. These animals can be brought back to your home and either be used in resource gathering and production or simply allowed to roam around your island safely as players amass their collection of pets and wildlife.
To help players get a head start on their new life on their Island Sanctuary, there’ll be roughly two hours’ worth of tutorials, according to Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida. Basically, there’s going to be a huge amount that players can while away their time learning about as they embark on a new journey of chill during their island exploits. Players will also be able to level up their island as they progress, which will award them with rewards redeemable against unique mounts and glamour, to name a few. The island’s NPCs will also eventually form a player’s roster of minions and will be at hand to carry out farming and harvesting jobs across the island as players see fit.
Final Fantasy XIV will see the launch of Patch 6.2 “Buried Memory” on August 23. To get a head start on the massively popular MMORPG, which has a free trial up until level 60, you can check out the new starter series that just dropped on YouTube to get caught up on the lore and gameplay involved.
