Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Intro Cinematic Revealed

The next expansion to Final Fantasy XIV, Heavensward, is nearing release, and to get players excited Square Enix has dropped the official intro cinematic to the new chapter on YouTube for all to see. We'll take the time to warn you now: there be A Realm Reborn spoilers in that video.

The cinematic shows a lot in a mere five minutes, from a lone soldier's fiery battle with Bahamut to a few scenes of betrayal and surprise death. We then see a sweeping shot of airships flying around a giant castle in the clouds surrounded by floating islands. Finally, because we can't have nice things for too long without something going horribly wrong, as an army of dragons and other monsters ambush the castle, causing the hero to don some kind of new Dragoon armor and take up arms against the hordes. Just when we think we're going to see some action, the title screen appears and we're left hanging. Damn you, Square Enix.

It's amazing to think that Final Fantasy XIV was once one of the most disastrous MMO launches ever, a game considered to be doomed right from the chute, and now it has blossomed into a strong title with thousands of regular players. Square Enix has really showed some poise and patience with their latest MMO, fixing every one of their fans' problems and delivering on what FFXIV was originally intended to be. We hope this trend continues and eventually spreads to the rest of Square Enix's catalog.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward launches June 23rd on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC.