It has been an incredibly exciting week, particularly for me. Final Fantasy XIV has been holding its Fanfest event in Anaheim, and the team revealed its next expansion. I will be reigning myself in once more during this Wayward Roundup to not let it dominate. No matter how much I wish to speak about petting chocobos.
Final Fantasy XIV Evercold revealed
Let’s get right into the big story: Final Fantasy XIV Evercold. It has been announced for January 2027, giving me ample time to complete the MSQ with my latest restarted character. I have already finished it, but I keep making new heroes. Yes, I have a problem. Putting that aside, we have learned of some incredible features.
We will keep it spoiler-light and not mention settings or story. Instead, let’s celebrate the as-yet-unamed new Tank and Physical DPS class, and the Evolved Mode for battles. This is an overhaul that streamlines combat. There are fewer buttons to press, with combos and the like delegated to one action, and each job will supposedly have its own unique identity. Interesting if true.
There was also the announcement of the Switch 2 version, which will require its own separate subscription. So, PC, Xbox, and PlayStation can be played on the one sub, but Nintendo wanted its own. I really enjoyed Pokopia, but Nintendo’s greed has ruined that newfound appreciation for the company. Speaking of PlayStation, it was also revealed that PS4 support will end in 2 years. A shame, but lovely we had that much warning.
Asha Sharma is mixing it up at Xbox
When Phil Spencer left Xbox, it left a huge hole; he was a big name. Then the CoreAI President named Asha Sharma stepped up, and the AI angle chilled me to my bones. However, she has been knocking it out of the park lately. This past week, the price for Game Pass Ultimate dropped from £22.99 to £16.99. It won’t be getting day 1 Call of Duty drops anymore, but that series fell off after Ghosts.
There have been further rumblings on the Game Pass front, with the ad tier popping up again, or a pick your own plan, but they are just rumours. What we do have solid information on, thanks to Game File, is exclusive titles. Sort of. After Xbox recently ceased exclusive games, it appears Sharma is taking her time to consider that approach. Which is exactly the answer I would want from a new CEO. It’s on the table, and she is gathering data instead of rushing a big decision. She is turning me into a big fan.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 revealed
Speaking of being a big fan, Dragon Ball Xenoverse. I adore the series, and 2 has been a mainstay in my gaming rotation since it launched. So, my head naturally exploded when Bandai confirmed those rumours about Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, and we even have a launch date: 2027. It’s vague, but damn is it good to hear.
It will be set in Age 1000, hundreds of years after Dragon Ball Super. Arguably, this means all the iconic characters are deceased; however, Xenoverse is about the Time Patrol, so that doesn’t matter, does it? I have seen speculation that there will be no time travel in this one, especially with Xenoverse 2’s final DLC centering around “the last patrol” when it arrives this summer. However, that could just mean for Xenoverse 2. Or it will be rebranded. The trailer has a Bulma lookalike; she will be able to figure it out.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag World Premiere
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is arguably one of the most loved in the series. It should universally be Valhalla, but that’s a different story. The remake has garnered a lot of excitement, a fair bit of apprehension with the way Ubisoft is going lately. Well, they can’t back out now, thanks to the recent World Premiere.
Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed released a half-hour showcase for the title, taking us behind the scenes of development. There was also a bit of in-process gameplay and cinematics sprinkled in. Although given that the release date is July 7th, I would assume they are more final than “in-process”, as they said.
Sableye is coming to Pokémon Pokopia in upcoming event
Finally, a small circle back to our first story. Nintendo might be greedy, and I am delighted they are being sued over the whole Trump tariff reimbursement, but Pokopia is amazing. I don’t complete many games, but I knocked that out in a week and adored it. Despite that slog towards the end of the story.
This appears to be good timing, as the Sableye Gem Hunt event is coming on the 29th. Our favourite creepy doll ghost thing will task you with farming Red Crystal Fragments, which you can then trade for habitat items. These include the things you need to create a house for Sableye. So they have everything they need to settle down, but they want you to pay them for the privilege. They are lucky “Catch ’em all” is so ingrained in us now, ungrateful little…
