Few games get me as hyped as Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG that's had a wild ride and increasing success over the past several years. Because of it, director and producer Naoki Yoshida, and the team behind the game, have made waves within Square Enix and now have the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI on their hands. But FFXIV's journey is far from finished, nor is it taking a backseat. Endwalker, which is set to launch in Fall 2021, is the next expansion, and while it'll conclude the 10-year story arc that's been the centerpiece since the game's early days, FFXIV's scale is only getting larger.

The expansion was revealed and showcased in detail earlier this month, and I have a breakdown of everything you need to know about Endwalker (for one, we're going to the moon). More recently, I was able to correspond with Yoshida-san via email to get some insight on the lead-up to new expansion--and I think the overall sentiment is that Endwalker and the position FFXIV is in today was never promised, but was always planned for.

"The idea of creating a large-scale saga and bringing closure to it after multiple expansions came about when we were working on A Realm Reborn (2013)," Yoshida-san started. He continued, "However, in order to make that idea a reality, gaining popularity and acquiring the adequate funds and acclaim to continue long-term service would be required."