Spoiler warning for this thread, as it's related to the MSQ and hints at the next possible expansion. In a somewhat recent interview, Naoki Yoshida was asked about hints as to the next expansion, and whether it would be Garlemald.
The interview in particular is with GameSpot. "Michael Higham on July 22, 2020" if you would like to find it.
Are we going to be in Garlemald soon? We've seen a little bit of it in story moments with
Estinien and Gaius
but are we going to start seeing more and actually going there?
YoshiP:
Quote:
In that aspect, I think we'll be able to go against players' expectations in a good way. Content that's coming in the patch 5.3 series, there's the Sorrow of Werlyt, the latest installment in the weapon series, where you're actually fighting against the forces of the Garlean Empire. In Save the Queen, the Bozjan Southern Front is an upcoming instance that really touches upon the Garlean Empire.
...
Oh, and of course, you can totally take your time on this, but it might be a good idea to get a refresher on Heavensward.
Many are taking this to mean that there will be hints as to the next expansion in Heavensward. But as is often the case, YoshiP is being a bit, intentionally vague. But this is about as much as Yoshida has seemingly given a hint.
And together, it seems to imply that the next expansion won't be in Garlemald, and that there are hints to where it will be in Heavensward.
It's certainly given me reason to go back and look at Heavensward. Shadowbringers was already hinted at in Heavensward. And it could mean that same place and series of events hints at even more that we didn't notice.
Further spoilers ahead, but I can only think that it would mean a few things.
- Something to do with Sharlayan, as Heavensward contains an abandoned Sharlayan colony. And currently there is a new member of the Scions and 5.3 ended on an even more Scion-centric note than usual, if that's even possible.
- Something to do with the Warriors of Darkness that we somehow have yet to explore. Though this seems unlikely, as that seems like the point of Shadowbringers. And I haven't noticed any clues there.
- The Antitower "Word of the Mother" part could hint to something focusing on Hydaelyn next expansion, instead of Zodiark. But that also doesn't see super likely, as Shadowbringers, like the Warrior of Light, seems to have done a lot to conclude Minfilia's story.
- Alexander, and time travel. We've seen Alexander in Shadowbringers as being the "core" of the Crystal Tower's time travel mechanism. Or at least an attempted replica. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that Alexander in the Twinning were some kind of Primal at least intending to be similar in some ways to the original. Unless I've missed something, of course! But time travel seems to only be justified in the most extreme of circumstances, as previous events have shown. And I don't think they're planning on relying on time travel and turning this into a Chrono Trigger. It wouldn't mesh well at all with the world of Hydaelyn.
- Something to do with Dragons. Perhaps Meracydia? With Sharlayan, this is one of the ideas that people have been most like to consider. It's another unexplored territory much talked about. Like with Sharlayan, I have a hard time imagining a particularly important reason to go to either one as an expansion focus, at least right now. But Dragons have continued playing a central role in the story, from Bahamut, to Shinryu, to Omega, to Estinien.
- The thirteenth? Unukalhai certainly takes a small spot in Heavensward.
And, I can't honestly think of much else. What do you think it means?
Continue reading...
The interview in particular is with GameSpot. "Michael Higham on July 22, 2020" if you would like to find it.
Are we going to be in Garlemald soon? We've seen a little bit of it in story moments with
Estinien and Gaius
but are we going to start seeing more and actually going there?
YoshiP:
Quote:
In that aspect, I think we'll be able to go against players' expectations in a good way. Content that's coming in the patch 5.3 series, there's the Sorrow of Werlyt, the latest installment in the weapon series, where you're actually fighting against the forces of the Garlean Empire. In Save the Queen, the Bozjan Southern Front is an upcoming instance that really touches upon the Garlean Empire.
...
Oh, and of course, you can totally take your time on this, but it might be a good idea to get a refresher on Heavensward.
Many are taking this to mean that there will be hints as to the next expansion in Heavensward. But as is often the case, YoshiP is being a bit, intentionally vague. But this is about as much as Yoshida has seemingly given a hint.
And together, it seems to imply that the next expansion won't be in Garlemald, and that there are hints to where it will be in Heavensward.
It's certainly given me reason to go back and look at Heavensward. Shadowbringers was already hinted at in Heavensward. And it could mean that same place and series of events hints at even more that we didn't notice.
Further spoilers ahead, but I can only think that it would mean a few things.
- Something to do with Sharlayan, as Heavensward contains an abandoned Sharlayan colony. And currently there is a new member of the Scions and 5.3 ended on an even more Scion-centric note than usual, if that's even possible.
- Something to do with the Warriors of Darkness that we somehow have yet to explore. Though this seems unlikely, as that seems like the point of Shadowbringers. And I haven't noticed any clues there.
- The Antitower "Word of the Mother" part could hint to something focusing on Hydaelyn next expansion, instead of Zodiark. But that also doesn't see super likely, as Shadowbringers, like the Warrior of Light, seems to have done a lot to conclude Minfilia's story.
- Alexander, and time travel. We've seen Alexander in Shadowbringers as being the "core" of the Crystal Tower's time travel mechanism. Or at least an attempted replica. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that Alexander in the Twinning were some kind of Primal at least intending to be similar in some ways to the original. Unless I've missed something, of course! But time travel seems to only be justified in the most extreme of circumstances, as previous events have shown. And I don't think they're planning on relying on time travel and turning this into a Chrono Trigger. It wouldn't mesh well at all with the world of Hydaelyn.
- Something to do with Dragons. Perhaps Meracydia? With Sharlayan, this is one of the ideas that people have been most like to consider. It's another unexplored territory much talked about. Like with Sharlayan, I have a hard time imagining a particularly important reason to go to either one as an expansion focus, at least right now. But Dragons have continued playing a central role in the story, from Bahamut, to Shinryu, to Omega, to Estinien.
- The thirteenth? Unukalhai certainly takes a small spot in Heavensward.
And, I can't honestly think of much else. What do you think it means?
Continue reading...