The Current Year in Final Fantasy XIV is Officially 1577
As a long-time FFXIV player and guide writer, I‘m often asked – what is the current year in Eorzea, the world of Final Fantasy XIV? So let‘s explore the full timeline and lore behind this amazing MMORPG.
The answer is that FFXIV is always set in the 5th Year of the Seventh Umbral Era, which equates to the year 1577 in our calendar.
However, time passes flexibly in the storylines of the various expansions. Most estimate only 1-2 years have gone by for our characters within the game world itself.
The Full FFXIV Timeline Spans 8 Years of Expansions
The FFXIV journey began back in 2010 but was rebooted dramatically as A Realm Reborn in 2013. Since then, four major expansions have continued the epic saga:
| Expansion | Release Year |
|---|---|
| A Realm Reborn | 2013 |
| Heavensward | 2015 |
| Stormblood | 2017 |
| Shadowbringers | 2019 |
| Endwalker | 2021 |
Counting all expansions and story updates, FFXIV has advanced 8 full years by our real-world calendar since A Realm Reborn launched.
However, according to in-game dialogue and sources, likely no more than 1-2 years have passed for the characters themselves within FFXIV‘s flexible timeline.
As an avid player myself since A Realm Reborn, I can confirm it never feels like it‘s been 8 years! Our heroes remain youthful as their journey continues.
What Do We Know About Character Ages in FFXIV?
Despite the vague in-game years, we do have some confirmed lore details and stats related to character ages in FFXIV:
- Alphinaud and Alisaie are 16 years old as of the current Shadowbringers expansion storyline. They are young Elezen twins who still have some growing up to do!
- Viera can live over 240 years thanks to their long-lived FFXIV race. Their aging slows after physical maturity, allowing millennia-spanning lifespans.
- Elezen age slower than other races and are known to live exceptionally long lives compared to Hyur and others.
Here‘s a quick data table for easy reference:
| Character | Age | Race | Avg. Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphinaud | 16 years | Elezen | 240+ years |
| Alisaie | 16 years | Elezen | 240+ years |
| Average Viera | 100+ years | Viera | 240+ years |
And remember, that‘s just their current ages – with many expansions yet to come, we could watch them grow into seasoned heroes over decades of future adventures!
Just How Long to Finish FFXIV‘s Epic Story?
As an obsessive Completionist always chasing the next goal, I‘m often asked how long it takes to finish FFXIV‘s continually evolving and expanding storyline.
Here are the current estimates, according to leading player sites:
- Main Story only: About 120 hours of playtime to finish just the core storyline from A Realm Reborn through the Endwalker expansion. This includes no optional content or side quests.
- All Expansions and Main Quests: Around 231 hours to complete all expansion storylines as well as every main scenario quest in the game. This tally is more realistic for most players.
- Completionist Playthrough: If you tackle EVERY possible activity – maxing jobs, gaining all achievements, completing each side quest, etc. – we start reaching into not just hundreds, but thousands of hours. As a Completionist myself, I can personally confirm FFXIV offers nigh-infinite playability!
No matter your playstyle, FFXIV has countless hours worth of spectacular adventures awaiting. And while the in-game timeline stays fixed at year 1577, the real-world calendar marches on – with more expansions still to come!
Let me know in comments if you have any other FFXIV timeline or lore questions. As both a devoted player and fan content creator, I‘m always happy to dig into this incredible game world with fellow fans!
