FFXIV Evercold Release Date, New Jobs and What to Prep

The FFXIV Evercold release date is Tuesday, February 23, 2027, with early access from Friday, February 19 for anyone who pre-orders. Pre-orders open on November 4, 2026. The Fan Festival 2026 keynote in Tokyo also revealed the second new job, Zephyr, a new Fierce raid difficulty, a new Ultimate and a level cap of 110. Below is everything that is confirmed, what each feature means for you, and how to use the next 16 weeks well.

Evercold release date, early access and pre-orders

Square Enix first announced Evercold in April with a January 2027 window. The Tokyo keynote fixed the real date, and the Lodestone notice lists three dates you need:

In past expansions, early access required registering the pre-order code before the window opened, so plan to buy and register the code well before February 19. Evercold is coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Windows, Mac and Steam.

The two new jobs: Bastion and Zephyr

Evercold adds one tank and one DPS. Bastion was revealed earlier in the year; Zephyr was the big reveal of this keynote.

The important detail is on the official site: both jobs are Evolved Mode only. You cannot play them with the current combat rules. If you want a new job as your main in the new expansion, expect to learn Evolved Mode with it from day one.

Starting level and job quest requirements have not been published yet. In past expansions new jobs started at a high level and needed the expansion installed; we will update this guide when Square Enix confirms how Bastion and Zephyr unlock.

Reborn Mode, Evolved Mode and Seasons

Evercold splits combat into two modes. Reborn Mode keeps the combat system you play today. Evolved Mode is built around what makes each job unique and is the only way to play the new jobs. Square Enix has not yet said which content allows which mode, so treat that as open.

Seasons is the other big change. The official site calls it a redesigned framework for earning rewards and raising item level, with Seasonal Adventure Gear for everyday players and Raid Reward Gear for high-end players. It sounds like a move away from the classic tomestone-only path, but costs, caps and season length are still unknown.

Auto Content Balancing is new too: in specific Evercold areas, content scales to your character level, so friends at different levels can match into the same party. After a certain point in the main story, you can also choose the order of some areas.

New areas, cities and the level 110 cap

The story moves to the Icebound Realm of the Fourth, a reflection lost to ice, where a threat called the Solstice is waiting. You travel by airship between four realmships:

• Naglfar, the Realmship of Water.
• Hringhorni, the Realmship of Fire.
• Sessrymnir, the Realmship of Earth.
• Skiðblaðnir, the Realmship of Wind.

The new cities are Fargarth and Hjartadunur, and the level cap rises from 100 to 110. Expect the usual mix of new dungeons, FATEs, hunts, treasure hunts and trials, all listed on the official site.

Raids: Fierce, Beyond the Lifestream, Evangelion and a new Ultimate

For raiders this is the most interesting part of the keynote. Here is what is planned for the Evercold cycle:

Fierce is the change most players will feel. Today the jump from Normal to Savage is huge, and many players stop at Normal. A middle tier gives them a real challenge with its own place in the gear path. How Fierce gear compares with Savage gear is not known yet.

If you are still working through the current tier, our Arcadion Savage guide explains why now is the easiest time to clear Heavyweight Savage before the new raids arrive.

Editions and pre-order bonuses

Four products were shown. We do not list prices here because they vary by region and store; check the official store on November 4.

Keynote reports list two pre-order bonuses: Halone's Earring, which gives 30% more EXP from defeating enemies up to level 100, and a Wind-Up Kottr minion, plus early access. That earring is useful for leveling alt jobs to 100 before you head into the new content.

What to do before February 23

Sixteen weeks is a lot of time. This is how we would use it:

1. 1
   Pre-order early and register the code. Early access starts February 19, and the earring helps with alt jobs.
2. 2
   Level the jobs you want to play to 100. With the cap moving from 100 to 110, every job you plan to play needs to reach 100 first. Our progression guide covers the fastest routes.
3. 3
   Finish the current Savage tier while it is easy. The weekly lockout is gone and Echo is active, so a clear now costs far less time than it did at launch.
4. 4
   Use your current tomestones and gear before they lose value. Item level resets with every expansion, so spend what you have rather than hoarding it.
5. 5
   Save gil for launch week. Crafted gear, materials and housing items usually spike in price at the start of an expansion.
6. 6
   Try a ranged or tank job now if you plan to main Zephyr or Bastion, so the role is familiar even if the rotation is new.

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Related guides: finish the current tier with our FFXIV Arcadion Savage guide, plan your leveling and gear with the FFXIV progression guide, and see how account sharing compares with playing yourself in piloted vs self-play boosting. For services, see FFXIV Savage and Ultimate raids and MSQ and job leveling.