FF XIV: A Realm Reborn Beta Phase 1 start announced!
Naoki Yoshida, the producer of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, has announced in his 43th letter that phase 1 of the beta will start on 25 February.
I'm sorry for taking so long to put up this letter, but the news you've all been waiting for is finally here. Assuming no dastardly bugs or server errors slow us down, phase 1 of the beta test will begin on February 25!
The roadmap we released has the schedule set for mid-February, so the start is about a week late. However, the extra time has allowed us to prepare more system features and character options for testing. While you all enjoy the game, I hope you also provide us with tons of feedback like you did during the alpha test.
In the letter Yoshida also announced a new system that will be available from the start of the beta: Full Active Time Events (FATE for short). These events occur in non-instanced areas at random. Players can participate by simply being within proximity of the event, and there's no need to form parties. When they are over, players will be rewarded.
Also the behest system is back and improved and is now named the guildhest system. In the original version the behests are quests to defeat monsters which occur near certain aetheryte and aetherial gates.
Like in the alpha stage, phase 1 of the beta will be limited to areas around Gridania. Also a new dungeon for level 30 players will be available for testing.
