For players wondering why the servers went down last night, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was in the process of receiving a huge new update patch 2.3, titled Defenders of Eorzea.
You should be able to connect once more, and you'll find a bevy of new content waiting for you, including new dungeons, PVP zones, quests and more.
The most exciting feature for me? Chocobo raising! For anyone like me who wasted literally hundreds of hours of their life breeding bastard chocobos back in Final Fantasy VII this is a prospect simultaneously nostalgic and terrifying.
There's also a big new dungeon, the nautical-themed Hullbreaker Isle. In terms of overall plot, here's the official description of the new update:
"When the world is thrown into chaos, who will rise to defend those too weak to defend themselves? The Sahagin summoned Leviathan, Lord of the Whorl, that the unbridled fury of the sea would wash away those who would threaten their livelihood. Eorzea's people turned to the Warriors of Light, who drove this sinister serpent back into the briny deep. Now, new voices can be heard. From the deserts of Thanalan, to the verdant woods of the Black Shroud, to the snowy peaks of Coerthas, these voices cry out for a champion. But who will heed their call as the defender of Eorzea?"
You should absolutely never summon a Leviathan. If you haven't logged on yet you'll find a patch of around 1.5GB waiting for you to download.