Square Enix have announced the remaining players of Final Fantasy XIV will be given a third free month, possibly a result of player numbers having reached their lowest ever despite the game still being free.
Their announcement blithely fails to mention why they are suddenly feeling so generous (although their CEO is more honest, to investors at least):
As always, we would like to express our gratitude to all players enjoying their adventures in Eorzea.
Today, we have decided to extend the free trial period an additional 30 days. Please refer to the following for more details.
We have also added a Topics post detailing a portion of the content heading your way in the two large-scale version updates slated for late November and mid-December.
This month’s version update, tentatively scheduled for November 25, marks the first step in bringing about significant improvement to FINAL FANTASY XIV, guided in large part by the feedback you, the players, have provided. We are adamant that you should be given the opportunity to experience these changes firsthand before deciding to fully commit to the game.
The two month extended trial was about to end, which had triggered speculation that player populations would collapse catastrophically, rather than gradually as they appear to be at present.
Average daily player populations continue to plummet, standing at 24,277 at the latest count:
Square Enix did announce a very extensive patch and generally appear to be desperately trying to rescue the game, but it would appear to be a case of too little, too late – PS3 players may find their version comparatively polished when it is released in 2011, though it appears they will be joining empty servers.
If ever comes the time that XIV will become F2P…
wait… F2P? does that mean FAIL 2 PLAY??
I actually like FF14. I was a big fan of FF11, and I’m not overly picky, so I’m forgiving towards the flaws, and seeing the improvement simply from Beta to Release, see possibilities once they fully clean it up and add in all the content that is missing.
It’d be a shame for it to die.
If anything they could just keep it going best they can while they do their work, and re-release a special edition for a discount once they do what they can to improve performance and content.
What improvement? That was the problem, they did nothing with the feedback they got during beta. People were complaining about clunky and laggy UI and nothing was changed. As if anyone would really need that feedback to know there was a problem anyway if they actually used it or paid attention to focus groups, let alone the beta period users.
For that matter, how can you fail at making a UI when you can load up any number of competitor’s products and the accompanying user UI mods?
They either don’t care, or they’re incompetent. Take your pick.
Also, the fatigue system was the worst idea ever and it should have been obvious that it would be misunderstood, which makes it even more terrible. Wonder how many hundreds or even thousands of sales were lost due to people blowing it out of proportion.
It doesn’t even serve its function. A comment on it: “The only time I’ve even hit slight surplus was the first week… I don’t see how this system was made to keep a level playing field for casuals when casuals will barely hit the first tier of surplus during a week since battle leves tend to suck for skill gain and local leves, while optional, are time consuming. Heck, most casuals won’t even do leves every 36 hours I imagine. “
Did you play the Beta? I felt a massive difference between release (I didn’t get collectors edition) and beta, regarding UI, Synthesis, and Menu lag =V
I’m not trying to say it was perfect, or that it was all that was needed (they still have a ways to go, and that’s not being disputed), but if you played both and payed attention, you can feel the difference.
I’ve never hit Fatigue myself, though I am only rank 18/phys 21-22 or so I believe.
I haven’t been playing much lately because my link seems to have mostly bailed, and I’m waiting on a friend to begin playing. After playing alone for the majority of the Beta (getting to rank 15/phys 20 in beta) I just can’t solo, it lacks appeal, and everyone seems to have come down with IDunTalkStrangers Syndrome.
Apparently the game is soo bad that even the shareholders are rage quitting.
http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/10/16/investor-ragequits-square-enix-over-final-fantasy-xiv-sells-1-of-the-company/
26 mil? Hell yeah! Maybe this guy is part of those stock price SE lost the last few years.
And to think, that might not have been the only rage quit SE had. Think they’re getting paranoid over losing investors.
Yay, another 14 news!! 8D I was wondering why I hasn’t been hearing about it in a while.
“We are adamant that you should be given the opportunity to experience these changes firsthand before deciding to fully commit to the game.”
They mean before the players decide to fully quit the game?
14 will be SE’s burden that they must carry forever unless a miracle happens with the next significant update as they say. Considering their capital, it’s not likely they would shut down due to one game. But still, it does feel good to see a company who’s been boasting up high over there having forgotten its roots finally being brought back to the glimpses of it(read The Banckruptcy That Almost Kill SE Before FF by anon). They deserve that punishment. For not hearing what us disappointed fans and you supporters have been complaining about their games. Sure, the stab didn’t make the kill but it ought to hurt them bad. Hope they learn from it or go get merged with Index Holdings already.
why not make it Free entirely?
what a waste of money square, they could have used this in funding other projects like Chrono Break, The World Ends with you 2, Neir 2, Versus XIII heck even Kingdom Hearts 3.
such a shame