Starting on June 28, Warriors of Light (at least those who pre-ordered the game for Early Access) will be able to explore the new world of Tural in Final Fantasy 14’s latest expansion. Dawntrail is set to be a “summer vacation” journey for players, a sort of reward after completing a decades-long story with Endwalker. In anticipation of what Tural has to offer, Square Enix has given the tropical locale its own tourism website, and Our Flag Means Death actor Rhys Darby is its star.
The site, TourTural.com, is a helpful guide to everything players can expect to uncover in Dawntrail. Darby plays the role of the Interim Deputy Director of…. Turalism (I like this dumb joke, sue me). A message from the board advises that visitors to the site can “Check here daily for such exciting announcements as deals for dirigible tours, new and delicious food vendors opening in the Bazaar, and the incredibly rare but very serious monster attacks!” Hidden away in the “What We Do” section is a disclaimer that “All visitors must acknowledge that death can technically be considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Beyond being a hilarious recreation of tourism sites, Tour Tural is pretty interesting to dig through. Cute postcards show off some of the beautiful locations, ranging from tranquil beaches to gorgeous waterfalls. Another section gives you a rundown of all the different factions of this land, like the Mamool Ja beast race and the alpaca-loving Pelupelu—we even get a nice look at the new alpaca mount, as well.
The Department of Turalism also offers fans recipes they can make in real life while they wait for Dawntrail. This isn’t the first time FF14 has done this (Square Enix sells a pretty neat physical cookbook), but these recipes embrace Dawntrail’s Latin American inspirations, offering instructions on how to make two types of tacos and a fruity cocktail. There is a merch page as well, which includes an “All About Alpacas” pin I wish I could actually buy.
The playfulness of the site and the short promotional videos of Rhys Darby being his hilarious self, shared on the official FF14 X (Twitter) account, really leans into the notion that Dawntrail is a chance for players to take a break. This game, and Final Fantasy as a series, is often incredibly self-serious— it’s always about saving a world from a cosmic evil, which is pretty intense. Dawntrail seems determined to ignore all of that and give us a chance to vibe out with a drink and a fluffy alpaca on the beach. I deserve that. I mean my Warrior of Light deserves that. I can’t wait.
Image: Square Enix, Kotaku Australia
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