Square Enix has made an announcement today regarding their next set of Fan Festivals for Final Fantasy XIV, and it has left fans divided. While we knew that the next Fan Fests for North America, Europe and Japan would be coming in 2026, most of us expected them to be pretty close together, and more in the first half of the year. Unfortunately, due to them spanning almost from spring until fall, it leaves the next expansion in limbo.
Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival Dates
The Next Expansion
Every time the Japanese Fan Fest takes place, it's a few months after the next expansion is released. For example, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail was released roughly six months after the Japanese Fan Festival in 2024, whereas Stormblood and Shadowbringers were around 3–4 months after.
Unfortunately, because the Japanese Fan Festival is scheduled for the end of October into November, if Square Enix sticks to their standard schedule, something they've refused to break away from in the past with content releases, that means 8.0 will likely be coming out as early as February, although more than likely closer to April or May. There are even some in the community that think it...
