With the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026 in Anaheim now behind me, I wanted to share some thoughts and experiences that didn’t make it into my other articles. Between the Evercold reveal, live competitions, hands-on activities, press conference, and incredible concerts, it was a weekend I will never forget.
Day One
The event kicked off with the reveal trailer for Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold. The crowd erupted the moment the expansion logo appeared on screen. That reveal was followed by Naoki Yoshida taking the stage for one of the longest and most exciting keynote presentations in the game’s history, covering everything from the expansion’s story and gameplay overhauls to new raids, collaborations, and major system changes. I have already covered the keynote in detail in a separate article, but you could feel the excitement in the room with every new announcement.
After the keynote, we headed to the media lounge for food before exploring the event floor. Much like the 2023 Las Vegas Fan Fest included activities inspired by Endwalker‘s Pandæmonium raids, Anaheim featured several events based on Dawntrail‘s Arcadion. The first event we tried was Ride the Rhythm, inspired by the Dancing Green (M5 and M5S) encounter in Cruiserweight. Players stood on a giant projected floor grid and had to dodge red AoEs in real time. If a spotlight mechanic or tankbuster marker appeared, everyone had to freeze in place.
Next up was Pelupelu Pitch, a carnival-style ring toss game where bottles were worth different point values depending on placement. Outer bottles earned one point, inner bottles were worth three, and the center bottles were worth five. After that came Run Alpaca Run. Players used a control mechanism to launch their alpacas forward, racing to the finish line while everyone around them cheered.
As fun as the activities were, the true highlight of day one came that night with Keiko’s piano concert. Keiko performed arrangements from Dawntrail and past expansions, and the entire hall was captivated from the very first note. Masayoshi Soken made multiple appearances throughout the concert, and later, vocalist Amanda Achen joined the stage. Their duet performances were breathtaking, especially “Flow” from Endwalker. The concert closed with Amanda singing “Smile” from Dawntrail, while Keiko played piano and provided backing vocals.
As if that were not enough for one day, the night ended with an exclusive press conference featuring Yoshida himself. We had the opportunity to ask questions about Evercold, job design, long-term plans for the game, and more. I have covered the press conference extensively, but the opportunity alone was surreal. Afterward, we were able to take pictures with Yoshida in the media lounge, which is a memory I will treasure forever.
Day Two
Day two started with more activities on the event floor. We began by blowing off some steam at Metem’s Limit Break Challenge, where you could punch a striking dummy machine to test your “Limit Break.” I’m not entirely convinced the score actually reflects how hard you hit it, but it was fun to let loose for a bit. The most team-oriented attraction was the Crystalline Conflict Challenge. Players were split into two teams of five and competed by rolling dice to move a crystal toward the opposing team’s goal.
I was hoping there would be a new playable trial encounter this year, as previous Fan Fests have offered them. The Las Vegas event, for example, featured a battle against Asura. Unfortunately, this Fan Fest did not have a new trial demo, nor were there enough stations available to bring back an older encounter. I was fully prepared to lead a party to victory, but I suppose that will have to wait until next time.
Later in the day, we watched the Crystalline Conflict Regional Championship. My partner actually knows someone on the Eidolon team, so we were cheering them on the entire time. They ultimately finished in second place, which is an excellent debut result. After the championship, Michael-Christopher “Koji” Fox took the stage to discuss the meaning and lyricism behind many of the game’s songs, offering fascinating insight into the creative process behind some of the game’s most beloved tracks.
The day concluded with an electrifying performance by The Primals. Their setlist featured raid themes from Dawntrail alongside battle tracks from previous expansions, and the crowd was singing along to nearly every song. Jason Charles Miller joined the stage midway through the performance, and in one of the night’s biggest surprises, Yoshida himself made an appearance to sing during “Not Afraid,” the Brute Abominator (M7 and M7S) theme. The concert ended with Titan’s iconic theme from A Realm Reborn, sending the crowd home on an incredible high note.
Overall, Fan Fest 2026 exceeded every expectation I had. Between the reveals, the activities, the concerts, and the opportunity to ask Yoshida questions directly, it was an unforgettable experience. I’m truly grateful to Mel and everyone at Square Enix for making us feel so welcomed throughout the event.
