Despite the stellar back half of 2021 that Final Fantasy 14 enjoyed, there are plenty of players unhappy with the state of the game. Due to several reasons, including a substantial free trial and other games missing the mark with their audiences, Final Fantasy 14 saw a huge spike in player count in the months leading up to the Endwalker expansion. Despite the positive reception from fans in general and critics, there is a very vocal community that is still unhappy with aspects of the game like the recent class changes, delay in the launch of the expansion, and continued issues with server login queues.
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In the months prior to the launch of Endwalker, many new players flocked to Final Fantasy 14 courtesy of streamers popularizing the game to broader audiences and a free trial that included the base game and first expansion. They took the place of players that would otherwise be there in the lull between expansions. While the team at Square Enix planned to implement new servers to handle the recent spike in players and the projected returning players, a global chip shortage stood in the way. Compounding matters was the announcement that Endwalker would be delayed 2 weeks so the teams could finish testing the stability. Since the delay and subsequent release, the player count has spiked yet again and now, weeks after the launch, players are still waiting hours to log in and play during peak times.
The frustration is very real and understandable. Having to work all day and then looking forward to playing a favorite game only to be met with a login queue hours long is a terrible feeling. This can be compounded if the player is a DPS class trying to clear their daily roulettes and having to wait even more. So, what is there to do when one is forced to wait? For some, complaining online and harassing developers is the loathsome answer.
It is inferred that this “scolding” of sorts is directed towards the Japanese playerbase as many of the developers can’t speak English and therefore wouldn’t be reading the comments from that audience. And supposedly, players have been providing plenty of feedback to the developers prior to the most recent class changes. But, as everyone remotely familiar with game development and fan bases is aware, when they don’t get what they want or feel that they’re not listened to, gamers can be very vocal and toxic. The internet can be a cesspool, especially when the people swimming are naturally toxic and passionate about what they’re complaining about.
No developer is immune to this kind of treatment and unfortunately, Yoshi-P is spot on. These are people that put their heart and soul into a game. For some, it has been their passion for over a decade now. And to have to suffer abuse daily because some entitled player disagrees with a change that may have not been in their control? It’s inexcusable. That’s why it’s important to be just as vocal when finding something enjoyable. Those kind words could be the bit of inspiration a person needed after a long and stressful day, and the world would be so much better for it.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
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Source: Immersed Gamer
