The Warrior of Light — who seems to have once again opted to change his main job — goes toe to toe with a mysterious woman in red during an intense training session. As Yoshida revealed during the presentation, this area is actually one of the new hubs that players will visit as they venture to Ala Mhigo, the backdrop for Stormblood.

As the liberation of Ala Mhigo will be taking center stage in the new storyline, it was revealed that XIIth Legion Legatus Zenos yae Galvus, ruler of the occupied Ala Mhigo, will be one of the main adversaries to be faced during your adventure. He looks pretty intense…

The new expansion will include new jobs; an increased level cap up to level 70; sprawling new areas to explore; a revamped battle system; and all-new dungeons, challenging high-level raids, new jobs, increase to player inventory size, sprawling new areas to explore, and alliance battle content.

Players in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood will not only join the resistance and fight for the liberation of Ala Mhigo, but will also be travelling to Doma and its surrounding areas in the title’s second expansion, Stormblood. This Far-Eastern nation has often been intertwined within the Final Fantasy XIVstoryline, and players will now have the chance to depart the shores of Eorzea and explore an entirely new region within the world of Hydaelyn.

Real-life Warriors of Light offered a helping hand to those in need this summer during the Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood drive.  With over 400 pints of blood donated, the blood drive efforts helped save over 1200 lives throughout North America.

The Square Enix and the American Red Cross collaboration was a Stormblood-themed bloodmobile that visited the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in addition to college campuses across Southern California this past June and July.

The blood drive began in the days leading up to the successful June launch of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, the second expansion of the acclaimed MMORPG. As a kickoff to the tour, Final Fantasy XIV Online Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida presented a $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross on behalf of Square Enix.

Other new features

• New Job – Samurai (DPS Role): Samurai joins red mage as one of the new jobs to debut in Stormblood. The katana-wielding samurai is a powerful melee attacker and master of “Iai” swordplay techniques who can store energy within their katana to unleash special attacks. This new job will allow players to learn and master the art of “Sen” and its three forces as they develop their abilities: “Setsu” (snow), “Getsu” (moon), and “Ka” (Flower).
• New City – Kugane: Located within Hingashi, a Far-Eastern archipelago nation with a strict isolationist policy, Kugane is the only port city open to foreign trade vessels. Violent acts are strictly prohibited within the town’s walls.
• Additional Beast Tribe and Primal: The Ruby Sea is one of many new areas accessible on the continent of Othard, and home to the Kojin—skilled traders residing in underwater settlements who welcome dealings with other races. The Kojin believe that a unique god resides in all objects and are collectors of treasures housing powerful deities. This beast tribe, like the others of Eorzea, finds itself intertwined in the worship of a primal: Lord of The Revel, Susano.
• New Dungeons: Many new and challenging dungeons, including Yanxia and The Azim Steppe, await adventurers in Stormblood as they explore the reaches of Othard.
• Residential Areas: The highly anticipated new residential area, Shirogane, was also announced. This housing area in Kugane brings an entirely new style of housing to players, featuring Far-Eastern style dwellings and wards.

With the launch of Stormblood, support on PS3 for Final Fantasy XIV would come to a close. At the same time, a PS3 to PS4 upgrade campaign is planned, which will allow PS3 players to seamlessly join in the battle for Ala Mhigo at launch.