Final Fantasy 14 graphical update: What locations have changed?

Scott Baird
Final Fantasy 14 graphical update: What locations have changed?

Final Fantasy 14’s Dawntrail expansion has added a much-needed graphical update, but where in the lands of Eorzea and beyond has benefited from these changes?

Dawntrail involves the Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn traveling to Tural, a continent to the west of Eorzea that has not been involved with the struggles of the previous expansions. This has given the developers a chance to tell a fresh story separate from Ascians and world-destroying gods.

Final Fantasy 14’s 7.0 patch adds Tural, which has noticeably better graphics than the regions that came before. But what about the rest of the game world? The developers have promised that all of Eorzea will receive the graphical update, but what has changed so far?

Final Fantasy 14 Tural beach

Tural is the first area to receive a full graphical update

As Tural is the first major addition to the game, it has all the benefits of the graphical update. This means it has noticeably better textures than the other regions in the game.

Check out our preview of Final Fantasy 14’s Dawntrail expansion to hear more about how beautiful the new zones are.

Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail graphical update New Gridania
The forest looks even better in New Gridania

Worldwide changes to Final Fantasy 14

While Tural is currently the only place with exclusively better visuals, the other regions in Final Fantasy 14 have received some benefits. Final Fantasy 14 has improved lighting, reflections, and shadows across the board. While some textures have been improved, they are not universal throughout the game.

Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail Ishgard graphical update
The Aetheryte Plaza in Ishgard has a shiny new crystal

One example of the improvements is Aetheryte crystals, which have a gorgeous new texture that makes them look more glass-like and realistic.

The other regions in Final Fantasy 14 will receive proper overhauls in future patches. We’ll update this article as each area is given its glow-up.

Character changes in Final Fantasy 14

The most striking change in Final Fantasy 14’s graphical update is in the form of character models, specifically the Warrior of Light. The hair, skin, eyes, and teeth all look noticeably more detailed, which you can see more closely when using Fantasia.

However, not all clothes have been updated yet. Some of the gear has received texture updates, drastically improving their quality, but others have not. Presumably, they’ll be updated in future patches.

Are you heading into Final Fantasy 14’s Dawntrail expansion for the first time and looking to try out the new jobs? Check out our guides on how to unlock the magic paintbrush-wielding Pictomancer job and how to unlock the dual-sword master Viper job.