Final Fantasy XIV Evercold Expansion: Glamour Plates and Future Updates

Players anticipating the release of Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold in 2026 are looking toward significant changes, though recent updates from Square Enix clarify the status of requested features like expanded glamour plates. While comparisons are often drawn to the success of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the focus for the long-running MMORPG remains on technical stability and system-wide improvements. During the recent Fanfest NA in Anaheim, Game Director Naoki Yoshida addressed the community's most pressing questions regarding character customization and inventory management.

The Status of Glamour Plates in 2026

A primary point of interest for the community is whether Final Fantasy XIV will receive an increase in the current limit of 20 glamour plates. With the upcoming Final Fantasy 14 Evercold expansion set to introduce new jobs alongside the existing roster, players have expressed a need for more customization slots. Currently, the game features 21 regular jobs, two limited jobs, and additional crafter and gatherer classes, making the 20-plate limit a frequent topic of discussion in our MMORPG coverage.

Naoki Yoshida explained that increasing the number of glamour plates is a complex task due to how the game handles server-side data. He noted that glamour plates are treated as part of the player's inventory, and adding more would increase the load on the game's servers. The development team is currently prioritizing the implementation of cross-region matchmaking, which is scheduled for testing during the 7.5x patch cycle. Yoshida stated that he is hesitant to add further strain to the server architecture while this major feature is in development.

Despite the current limitations, Yoshida left a small window open for future updates. He mentioned that the lead of the server team is an active player of the game, and once the cross-region matchmaking project is complete, there may be an opportunity to revisit the possibility of adding more plates. For now, however, players will continue to work within the existing 20-slot system.

Character Creator Updates and Evercold

The Final Fantasy 14 Evercold expansion is slated to bring the most substantial overhaul to the game's systems since its 2010 launch. This includes significant changes to the character creator, designed to leverage the graphical updates introduced in the Dawntrail expansion. These updates aim to provide more flexibility in how characters appear, including new ways to hide specific elements of gear to allow for more varied aesthetic combinations.

The development team is focusing on balancing these visual improvements with the game's performance requirements. As we reported in our Square Enix news hub, the goal is to provide players with more agency over their character's look without compromising the stability of the game environment. While questions regarding specific additions like new hair options persist, the upcoming expansion is confirmed to prioritize a broad redesign of progression mechanics and combat systems.

Addressing Player Requests: The Q&A Session

The information regarding these updates was gathered during a '/random Q&A' session at Fanfest NA, hosted by Naoki Yoshida, Senior Community Director Matt Hilton, and Translator Aimi Tokutake. Questions were selected via a die roll, allowing for a variety of topics to be addressed directly by the development team. The session highlighted the ongoing dialogue between the developers and the player base regarding quality-of-life (QoL) improvements.

One of the more lighthearted moments of the Q&A involved a direct question regarding the potential for "butt sliders" in the character creator. This topic, which has been a recurring joke between Yoshida and Koji-Fox, was addressed by the director during the session. While it remains a popular request among segments of the community, it serves as an example of the informal nature of the Q&A sessions where players can interact directly with the game's leadership.

Summary of Development Priorities

• Cross-Region Matchmaking: The current priority for the server team, with testing starting in the 7.5x patch cycle.
• Glamour Plate Expansion: Currently on hold due to server-side inventory load concerns.
• Character Creator: Receiving a major overhaul in Evercold to utilize updated graphical systems.
• Progression Mechanics: The expansion will introduce redesigned systems for character growth and combat.

As Final Fantasy XIV approaches its 2026 expansion, the focus remains on ensuring that the infrastructure can support the new content while maintaining the performance standards expected by the player base. The team continues to manage the balance between implementing highly requested features and maintaining the technical health of the game's servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Final Fantasy 14 get more glamour plates in 2026?

Square Enix has no immediate plans to increase the number of glamour plates due to server-side inventory load concerns, though the team may consider it in the future.

What did Yoshi-P say about FF14 butt sliders?

During the Fanfest NA Q&A, Naoki Yoshida acknowledged requests for butt sliders, a topic that has previously been the subject of jokes between him and Koji-Fox.

Is Square Enix adding new hair options to Final Fantasy 14?

The Final Fantasy 14 Evercold expansion will feature a major character creator overhaul, though specific details on new hair options were not confirmed in the Q&A.