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‘Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers’ to launch July 2 with Gunbreakers and Viera

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, the upcoming expansion to the Square Enix MMORPG, is set to launch on July 2 with a new class and race.

The first trailer for Shadowbringers was shown in November at the Final Fantasy XIV Fanfest in Las Vegas. There were hints that the game’s third expansion, after 2015’s Heavensward and 2017’s Stormblood, will feature a new class wielding a gunblade like Final Fantasy VIII‘s Squall. There was also speculation the the Viera, represented in Final Fantasy XII by Fran, will finally be added to the MMORPG.

The game’s director and producer, Naoki Yoshida, revealed a lot more about Shadowbringers at the ongoing Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in Paris.

An extended trailer for Shadowbringers was released, showing some Final Fantasy XIV characters and what awaits the crew in the expansion.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: SHADOWBRINGERS Extended Teaser Trailer

Yoshida also unveiled the Gunbreaker, the name of the new class that will use gunblades. The job will start at level 60 in Gridinia, but according to Yoshida, this may change before the release of the expansion. Gunbreakers will play the role of tanks, and are not ranged characters. There are several more new classes that will be added to Final Fantasy XIV in Shadowbringers.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: SHADOWBRINGERS Gunbreaker Reveal

Confirming the speculation, the Viera will be making their way to Final Fantasy XIV. A trailer for the rabbit-like race revealed what the Viera will look like in the game.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: SHADOWBRINGERS - New Race “The Viera”

Yoshida also announced that the new Alliance raid in Shadowbringers will be a crossover with Nier: Automata. However, the details of the raid were not revealed.

Shadowbringers will introduce nine new dungeons, as well as a new feature named the Trust System. The feature allows players to team up with NPC’s to take on missions that currently require them to be part of a group. The NPC’s that players will team up with are from Final Fantasy XIV‘s story, so they will be familiar.

Shadowbringers will be open to pre-orders on February 6, and players who do so will be able to participate in early access on June 28. Pre-ordered copies of Shadowbringers will also come with a special Baby Gremlin minion, and an earring that will grant players 30% bonus experience until they reach level 70.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: all piano sheet music locations and rewards
Cloud playing the piano in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

While there's no shortage of ways to distract yourself while playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one of the most unexpected minigames is the surprisingly deep piano system. In most of the major hub towns you encounter across the expansive world, Cloud can find a piano to sit down at and tickle the keys. You're free to play any song you want in free play, but you can turn this system into a full-on rhythm game, almost like Guitar Hero, by collecting sheet music of some of the game's most iconic tracks. There's even an NPC near each piano who will reward you if you get a high enough rank on each song. Cloud may not be the most expressive in his words, but he can sure play the piano with heart. Here is where you can find all the sheet music and what rewards await if you can master them.
Where to find all sheet music

Sheet music, thankfully, isn't hidden away in chests or has to be purchased for crazy amounts of Gil, but a few do have some hidden requirements. Each new composition is found on a piano in the world and is free to snag once you sit down. Even if you don't feel like playing right then and there, make sure you always at least grab the music to add to your collection so you don't have to backtrack later and get it. There are eight in total to find, and some will only come later in the story, but none are missable once you open up fast travel back to previous areas. This is the natural order you can collect them.
On Our Way
Our first piece of music can be picked up once you hit Chapter 4. During this section, go to the Crow's Nest town in the Junon region, which you can only enter by doing the "When Words Won't Do" side quest. Once you complete this quest and can freely enter the town, hit up the bar and grab this tune.
Tifa's Theme
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Barret's Theme
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Cinco de Chocobo
Chapter 9 takes you through the town of Gongaga. Even a town way out in the forest has a piano, which means yet another song to snag.
Two Legs? Nothin' to it
One chapter later, in Chapter 10, you need to do a little exploring in Cosmo Canyon to find your way to the piano, but the icon on your map won't lead you astray.
Aerith's Theme
Perhaps the most iconic song in the entire game, if not the franchise, is hidden behind a completely optional side quest. Once you reach Chapter 11, return to Nibelheim and do the "White-Haired Angel" side quest. It may seem totally irrelevant, but the quest ends with you playing and collecting this song.
Let the Battles Begin!
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One-Winged Angel
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All song rewards
For every song you A rank, Dorian will give you a prize when you talk to him. Here's everything you can get:

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Barret talking to Dyne in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

This article contains story spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Ahead of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's launch, fans were buzzing about how the sequel would tackle Aerith's story. The holy healer was a major focus of Square Enix's marketing, making it clear that one of gaming's most iconic moments would be pivotal to the adventure. But for me, I was more curious about how another tragedy would play out: the tale of Barret and Dyne.

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Fort Condor characters

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is not only a fascinating retelling of one of gaming's most beloved titles -- it's also among the most feature-rich games of this generation. From vast open areas to explore that teem with activities to densely populated cities and tense dungeons, there's at least 100 hours worth of content to uncover here if you've got the time and energy to complete it all.

As you work through the game, you'll find that a surprising amount of this playtime sees you engaging with minigames, both to advance the story and just for fun to earn optional rewards. And though there are a few duds scattered along the way -- we're looking at you Gears and Gambits -- most of the minigames you'll encounter offer a unique and enjoyable diversion for Cloud and friends. We've gone through a tough elimination process and decided on our picks for the top five minigames in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
5. Dolphin Course

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