Final Fantasy XIV Update 5.3 Now Available to Download & It’s Almost 3 Gigabytes

Final Fantasy XIV players are eagerly waiting for update 5.3 “Reflections in Crystal” through a long 24-hour maintenance. It’s now time to get that download underway.

While the servers arent up just yet, the patch is now available to download and it’s a big one.

On PC, the whole update weighs almost 3 gigabytes or precisely 2929.25 megabytes. That’s a big patch indeed.

This doesn’t mean that the game is ready to welcome its players back, as the maintenance is scheduled to last until 3:00 am PDT.

You can read the full patch notes here, and a summary of the new content below.

While you wait for the opening of the servers, you can read the interview with composer Masayoshi Soken that we publisher just yesterday.

• New Main Scenario Quests – The curtains rise for the final act of the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers main scenario questline as the Scions endeavour to shed light upon the Ascian Elidibus’ dark plot.
• Main Scenario Questline Update: A Realm Reborn – The A Realm Reborn main scenario questline will be reworked to give new players a more streamlined experience as they progress through the story leading to Heavensward. Additionally, players will be able to use flying mounts to take to the skies in A Realm Reborn areas upon completion of The Ultimate Weapon quest.
• Expanded Free Trial – The free trial will now allow players to enjoy unlimited playtime up through level 60 and will also include access to Heavensward content, an additional playable race (Au Ra), and an additional three playable jobs (Dark Knight, Astrologian, and Machinist).
• New YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse Alliance Raid – The white-robed android 2P awakens at last, but so too does an unforeseen danger to Komra in the next chapter of this NieR-inspired alliance raid, The Puppets’ Bunker.
• Save the Queen Questline Updates (Patch 5.35) – Players can further enhance weapons obtained in the first chapter of this quest series as they explore The Bozjan Southern Front, a new area where the Bozjan Resistance has begun Operation Eagle’s Nest in a bid to regain Alermuc Fortress from the Empire.
• New “Chronicles of a New Era” Quest: The Sorrow of Werlyt – Part of the ‘Weapon Series’ questline, players can enjoy a story-focused experience culminating in a special event battle.
• New Dungeon: The Heroes’ Gauntlet – The whole of Norvrandt becomes a battlefield across which the Warriors of Darkness must fight their way. Players can tackle this new challenge alongside fellow adventurers, or a party of non-player characters, using the Trust system.
• New Trial: A fearsome new foe possessed of immeasurable might shall arise to test Warriors of Darkness in both normal and extreme difficulties.
• New Beast Tribe Quests – A new crafter-focused questline featuring the dwarves.
• New Game+ Updates – The updated A Realm Reborn main scenario and other quests will be available for players to revisit while retaining their current character and level.
• New Battle Content: Unreal Trials – Players will be able to challenge powered-up versions of existing primals that are prepared to battle against level 80 heroes. Unreal Trials will feature one primal fight which will change with each patch, beginning with Shiva in Patch 5.3. Defeating the primal each week gives players the chance to complete a new mini-game, with those who emerge triumphant receiving tokens to exchange for prizes.
• Ishgard Restoration Update (Patch 5.31) – The third phase of restoration begins following the efforts of the Skybuilders. Skybuilder Rankings return, with new items for players to craft and new achievements for top contributors to the restoration efforts.
• Crafter and Gatherer Updates – New custom deliveries, updates to Rowena’s House of Splendors, and an update to the Skysteel Tools questline headline several crafter and gatherer updates. Additionally, recipe search functionality will be improved for ease of use.
• YO-KAI WATCH Collaboration Returns – The YO-KAI WATCH collaboration event, Gather One, Gather All returns to FINAL FANTASY XIV Online beginning August 19th and includes new rewards in addition.
• Job Adjustments for PvE and PvP, System Updates, and more.

Final Fantasy XIV is currently available for PlayStation 4 and PC. Incidentally, a few days we learned from Square Enix that monthly subscribers are continuing to grow.

If you want to read more details about the upcoming update 5.3 you can check out our report of the latest Letter from the Producer Live.

If you’d like to learn more about the game in general, you can read our latest interview with Naoki Yoshida, and our review of Shadowbringers.