FF14 “So Bad They Gave Players A Third Free Month”
- Categories: Games, News
- Date: Nov 17, 2010 03:23 JST
- Tags: Final Fantasy, Internet, Marketing, MMORPG, PC Gaming, Square Enix
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.
| 
Yandere Simulator Gets Personal
Naruto SUN Storm 4 OP Endlessly Energetic
Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut Hardly Draconic
Splatoon Squid Sisters Invade NicoNico Tokaigi 2016
Top 9 Anime of 2015, According to IGN
Rena Momozono’s Hot Hardcore F***ing Eloquently Titled
Rance Hikari o Motomete Battles Hard
Final Fantasy XV “Might As Well Be An FPS”
Dimension W Spreads It Open
Okasare Hero Strategically Sexy
Studio FOW Alice H-Short “Truly Mad!”
Uppers PV “All About The JKs!”
Danny DeVito Desired For Great Detective Pikachu
Kantai Collection Movie PV Bright & Cheery
Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Story Trailer Rather Redundant
Slimy Yuusha Marudea Figure
Top 20 Most Romantic Anime Confessions
Shinmai Testament Burst BD Running A Fever
Anti-Demon Fox YUZUHA Rather Bestial
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Xtremely Exhibitionist
Goddess of Twitter “Pink & Perky!”
Serene Horo Cosplay Pure Gold
Iona Ero-Cosplay by Komugi Taking on Water
Cute Kashima Cosplay Full of Elegance
Umaru Ero-Cosplay by Asami Hamsterific
Goddess of 2ch: “Pink & Soft All The Way!”
Kuroneko Cosplay by Mikehouse Full of Life
Busty Hotaru Cosplay Delightfully Delectable
Adorable Ati Cosplay by Kaieda Kai Kemonomimi Chaos
Momo Velia Deviluke Cosplay Bursting With Bridal Beauty
plz stop beating the dead chocopo or horse birds. they didn't deserve it
needs free yuri
If the game was a person, it would be on life support and trying to hold your hand saying don't go.
If the game was a person, I would be preparing the funeral.
Funeral? Nobody cared about it and it won't even recieve a funeral. It just died being run down on a street. It's still there, rotting and discomposing while people ignore that it ever existed.
If that game was a person it would be a big jerk that makes people avoid him.
If it was a person, it would assuredly be someone that had a family that led them down such a rough path that they were going to be on life support one way or another
If it was person, I'd be looking for my dildo.
lol it's as good as scrapped.
Maybe if this was an action RPG instead...?
If it was Free to Play then people would come and play then again it would still suck.
"...significant improvement to FINAL FANTASY XIV, guided in large part by the feedback you, the players, have provided"
What was the point of the open beta then? oh wait, you didn't accept player feedback during open beta.
You made your bed, now lie in it, Squeenix.
They claim to be working on 'bugs'...
Which is strange since I heard no one complaining about specific bugs, or at least, they're not complaining about the bugs the devs are claiming to fix.
Bed? I thing it's a grave.
Most people try mmos and if they aren't good wont even attempt the game again for years so losing all these players is really bad for them not just in short run..
I mean at this point i'm not even going to come back after they release the first few patches, like i said.. In a year or so i might try it again if it's still around.
One could look at it this way, they realized there mistake and are doing everything they can to make it at least worth the investment into the game by giving the additional free month. If the early adopters all bail before they can make improvements on the game, then it makes it harder for them to market the game the time the PS3 version is released.
On the other hand, I being one of the people that has the game and so far haven't been happy with it... I don't know if I'm even willing to wait that long to see if the changes make the game worth having when I do have to pay a monthly fee for. Decisions, decisions...
might as well be like the other people here that 'like' this game and wait to see if you spent your 50-60 dollars (euros, yen whatever) on something worthwhile. i however quit after 2 weeks of trying to find something enjoyable with the game.
Oh FF fanboys you so mad, haha. time to start cutting your selves while listening to AFI.
The only good things to come of this game are the fanarts! Yum @ header pic! ^^
just make suikoden 6 already
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.
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.
If ever comes the time that XIV will become F2P...
wait... F2P? does that mean FAIL 2 PLAY??
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.
Too little, too late.
Well not like FFXIV would have much of a player base once Blade & Soul comes out anyways...
so so sad... end did i mention patetic?
What is the best nippon's MMORPG?
They keep applying the whip, but the horse is already dead.
They should of made it F2P in the first place.
It would be a "Great Approach" seeing a Game Company who has such a great backing do a market turn-around like this personally.
If it was f2p, i'd maybe give it another Chance, P2P this crap without a Auction House...
NO thanks.
Serves them right! once cataclism arrives, this game will die for sure.
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
Ahahaha. Wait another month and another 30 days extension will likely be announced.
Is this Year 2010: Big Guys Gone FAIDS?
In the words of the great Peanut :
" Polish a turd , its still a turd . "
Way to throw good money after bad, SE...
change the ceo
AND NOTHING OF VALUE WAS LOST
Regardless of the game that can sink of swim for all i care, i really hope they will learn from this. And if they manage to survive, they would make a game using all new EXP and passing their errors by a mile.
If those updats work out it apears that yeat agian pc gamers may have done some beta testing for the PS3
lololololololololololololololol
Im playing it right now... is not a bad game but haves the same handicap than LOTR, tabula rasa or Aion.
Empty servers, grindfest, repetitive quest.
WOW fanbase could be annoying but make you feel there is life in the game.
FFXIV feels like an ghost town.
You expected an asian MMO not to be a grindfest?
Im not a fan of LOTRO but its clearly no grindfest. At least it wasnt but now you have to buy questpacks in the item shop...
I found Tabula Rasa and Aion far more enjoyable. FF14 is just a bad joke, even 20years old games got better UIs and more interesting gameplay.
Ah the good old days of Ultima VI... ^^
Reminds me when I logged in into a Germany version of Street Gears lol.
Well, we all know what happened with Windows Vista and Windows 7. So then I think it's time for a Final Fantasy XV Online...
You know a P2P game is a pure failure when they launch their free "trial" months after the actual release.
I wonder how many entries this topic is going to take in Sankaku? Probably 2 or 3 more until really nobody plays this game anymore while its still free?