Final Fantasy 14 devs respond to character model issues with new Dawntrail benchmark

A new PC benchmark program for Final Fantasy XIV has been announced, one that will address issues fans raised regarding the changes to character models.

The release of Final Fantasy 14’s Dawntrail is fast approaching and fans are preparing to explore a brand-new continent and uncover lost treasures.

The world of Final Fantasy 14 is going to look very different in Dawntrail, thanks to a graphical update overhauling the visuals. This means the game will have beefier PC requirements than before, so longtime fans might need an upgrade.

To this end, Square Enix released a benchmark program that gives players an indication of how Dawntrail’s upgrades will run on their systems. This included a character creator so players could see how their Warrior of Light would look using the new visuals.

Unfortunately, not everyone was happy with the changes in Dawntrail’s benchmark, with many complaining about differences in teeth, hair, and eyes. These were cited as a downgrade from the current 3D models.

Square Enix

A post on the official Final Fantasy XIV website by director Naoki Yoshida has announced that a new benchmark is planned for the week of May 23, though this date might not be set in stone. The changes will include tweaks to the character creator (especially involving lighting) to better match the visuals in Dawntrail at launch.

Hopefully, these adjustments will address the concerns fans have about Dawntrail’s upgrades. After all, people spend a lot of time grinding cool-looking gear for their Warrior of Light, and the desire to earn it will be lessened if the character models don’t look as good as they previously did.

Dawntrail launches on July 2, with some versions granting Early Access on June 28. This gives the developers plenty of time to fix the visuals ahead of launch, hopefully avoiding the same last-minute delay that affected Endwalker in 2021.