Final Fantasy XIV Online is a massive multiplayer game available on both consoles as well as on PC. The game was initially released in September 2010 but shortly shut down in November 2012. While the graphics were not the issue, the gameplay and overall player experience was flawed and let to the shutdown.
Not even a whole year later and under different directory, Square Enix, published Final Fantasy XIV – A Realm Reborn which received huge success. While the game and story remained the same, major gameplay changes were made and the overall player experience was improved.
Do People Still Play Final Fantasy XIV Online?
Over the last eight years Final Fantasy XIV Online has received four expansions. Heavensward (2015), Stormblood (2017), Shadowbringers (2019), and Endwalker is set for release in fall 2021. The game is getting regular new content and updates to not online attract new players to the game but also keep existing players online. Word has it that with the expansion of Endwalker later this year anyone can visit any data center. Data centers are the servers that players are locked into. With enabling players to move between servers without losing your character or starting over will certainly attract a lot of players that felt stuck in low population servers.
MMO Playerbase is a website that tracks the amount of players playing MMO games. Based on their data Final Fantasy XIV Online is constantly growing with an overall playerbase of 25 million players. In conclusion, yes people still play this game.
What Makes Final Fantasy XIV Online Different?
While the MMORPG genre has not changed much over the last decade, there are countless free and paid MMOs on the market. However the leaders remain World Of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV Online. FFXIV Online is a buy to play and pay to play title meaning a player needs to purchase the game itself as well as hold an active monthly subscription of $15. New expansions have to be purchased in addition.
Final Fantasy XIV Online is vastly different from other MMOs. The game offers a very detailed character customization and astonishing graphics but what really makes it unique is its story. FFXIV Online is a story based game. The developers have put tremendous work and detail into telling a fascinating and hooking story.
FFXIV can be fully enjoyed as a single player experience and a brand new player can reach max level content by simply playing through the story. The story is told in beautifully designed and voice acted cut scenes. However if a player decided to start fresh, he or she would not need to play through the story over and over. FFXIV offers multiple ways to reach end game content without having to go through the same quests over and over.
Another benefit of FFXIV Online, which is not offered by other MMOs, is that one character can learn any class, job or crafting. In FFXIV Online you will ever only need one character compared to other MMOs where the characters are locked into the class you choose during character creation.
Who Is Final Fantasy XIV Online For?
Final Fantasy XIV Online is for everyone and you will find players of all different age groups enjoying the game. What drew me personally to the game over other games was how enjoyable the game is as a single player title. If you are looking for a game with not only great graphics and astonishing music but a very immersive storyline, then Final Fantasy XIV is for you.
Square Enix often offers free weekend trials to new players who are interested in picking up the game. Check your Steam store frequently so you won’t miss out on the free trials. But don’t get me wrong FFXIV online is not only a enjoyed as a single player title. Final Fantasy XIV Online gameplay is extremely enjoyable in a group setting. During my first few weeks of playing the game I have met many great players and teamed up with great adventures for dungeons.
From a financial standpoint FFXIV Online is on the expensive side. The base game runs around $20 plus $15/monthly plus potential expansions. However the price is justified by the cheer amount of updates and additional content the game receives.
In short, the game is for any fans of the Final Fantasy franchise, anime style inspired MMO lovers and casual players that are looking for a single as well as a multiplayer game driven by an immersive story. And if you are a new adventurer in Eorzea looking for players to team up with, feel free to hit me on Twitch and we will explore Eorzea together.
If you are curious to check out World Of Warcraft Classic before it’s new expansion The Burning Crusade launches, check out my full review on the game here: Is World of Warcraft Classic Worth It In 2021.
Is a realm reborn free to play?
A Realm Reborn is not free to play. While Square Enix offers free trials to new players, the game requires an active monthly subscription after purchase.
Do you have to buy all the expansions for FF14?
FFXIV story progresses linear through the expansions meaning it cannot be played out of order. However you do not need to purchase each expansion separately, if you buy the latest expansions you will receive all previous ones as well.
Does Shadowbringers come with the other expansions?
Yes. New expansions come with all previous expansions included.
Is ff14 worth the subscription?
In my personal opinion it is. If you wish to step away from FF14 you can always cancel your subscription and renew at a later point, without losing any progress.
Is FF14 Worth Playing 2021?
FF14’s player count is steadily increasing and the game is at an all time high. Yes it is absolutely worth getting into.
Is FF14 pay to win?
While cash shops raise concerns about pay to win features, FF14’s cash shop offers cosmetics and quality of life upgrades but no pay to win aspects.
