Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood users will soon be able to square off against one of Monster Hunter: World‘s most dastardly foes, the fire-breathing Rathalos. The crossover event arrives August 7 in patch 4.36, which also brings The Pagos Expedition, the latest entry in The Forbidden Land Eureka.
In order to try your luck at vanquishing Rathalos, you need a level 70 character who has beaten Stormblood‘s main quest. Rathalos will be available in both normal and “extreme” versions. You can fight the normal version of Rathalos with up to eight players, while the extreme iteration only allows four players, mirroring the hunt size of Monster Hunter: World. Square Enix also said the fight will boast mechanics that nod back to Rathalos’ home game.
If you’re not up to level 70 in Stormblood yet, you’ll probably want to be by the time the crossover arrives. New armor sets, minions, mounts, and furnishings are up for grabs. The armor set and mount are based on Rathalos, while the furnishing is the BBQ Spit, a Monster Hunter: World staple. But it’s the minions that steal the show. You can earn the right to have Poogie, the adorable little pig, and a Palico, the lovable cats that serve as your assistants in Monster Hunter: World quests.
Along with Rathalos’ cameo, players can also enjoy the Warriors of Light challenge, although Square has yet to reveal just what that entails. Square Enix didn’t announce how long the crossover event will last, so you’ll want to work on vanquishing Rathalos as soon as possible once the beast flies into Stormblood.
Looking ahead in Stormblood, there’s a lot to get excited for in patch 4.4. Stormblood will receive both new main quests and sidequests, as well as two new challenging dungeons, a trial, and fresh raid. Game director Naoki Yoshida also promised updates to PvP, the battle system, crafting, jobs, and more.
For extra-serious Final Fantasy XIV fans, fan festivals will take place throughout the world in the coming months. On November 16, the North American fest kicks off in Las Vegas. The European Fan Festival starts February 2 in Paris, and the Tokyo Fan Festival rounds out the world tour in March.
