Final Fantasy XIV Braces for Dawntrail Login Queues with New Measures

Remember the chaos of December 2021 when Final Fantasy XIV launched its Endwalker expansion? Yeah, those endless login queues and frustrating errors that kicked you back to the start of the line are hard to forget. Despite the amazing conclusion to the Hydelyn-Zodiark saga, the server issues were a nightmare. As someone who spent hours watching the login numbers inch down, I can say it was a rough ride, even if Endwalker was worth the wait.

With the next expansion, Dawntrail, on the horizon, there's a big question: can FF14’s servers handle the load this time? The good news is that the dev team has taken “precautionary measures” since those Endwalker days. They’ve added more data centers and even created new worlds to accommodate the MMO’s growing player base, which saw a boom during the pandemic.

Still, the developers are being cautious. They’re expecting a massive influx of players eager to dive into Dawntrail, which could mean more long login queues. Here's what to expect and how they plan to manage it better than last time.

Prepare for Queues

When Dawntrail opens for early access on June 28th, and for everyone else on July 2nd, be ready for queues. The devs assure us that even if the queue seems to be moving slowly, it is moving. Subscription players will get priority access over those on the free trial of A Realm Reborn and earlier expansions like Heavensward and Stormblood. So if you’re still catching up and not in a rush to play Dawntrail, it might be wise to hold off jumping in right away. You won’t be able to create characters on congested worlds, so starting fresh during peak times isn’t a good idea.

Travel Restrictions

Once you're in, travel will be limited, similar to Endwalker’s launch. Moving between some data centers and visiting other worlds will be restricted until at least patch 7.01, possibly extending to 7.05 if things get really congested. To avoid getting stuck, make sure your characters are back on their home world before Dawntrail drops. Traveling between different regions of the map might also be a hassle, with frequent “Unable to move areas due to congestion” messages.

Auto-Kick Feature

The auto-kick feature for inactive players will be more aggressive. Don’t expect to park your character in Limsa Lominsa and hold your spot overnight. The game will automatically log you out after 30 minutes of inactivity. Honestly, it’s good etiquette to log out if you’re not playing, to help ease the congestion for everyone else.

Queue System for Duties

Expect a queue system for instanced duties like dungeons and main scenario quests during peak congestion times. The game will also bring back separate instances for different areas of the map, allowing players to switch instances via an aetheryte, just like in Endwalker.

Final Thoughts

The team at Square Enix is pulling out all the stops to avoid a repeat of the Endwalker login fiasco. However, brace yourself for some rough patches when Dawntrail launches. It won’t be a perfectly smooth ride, but with these measures, it should be a bit more bearable. See you in the queues!