Final Fantasy XIV Undergoes Rebirth

[Marshall Honorof]

Final Fantasy XIV Undergoes Rebirth

Square Enix's tumultuous MMO will relaunch with a whole new paradigm.

OK, folks, if you have any jokes to make about Final Fantasy XIV, you'd better make them soon or let them forever languish in the deepest recesses of your mind. While the game was something akin to a disaster at launch, Square Enix has been promising to fix the game's manifold issues [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114584-Final-Fantasy-XIV-Summons-Subscription-Fees] for a while now, and that day is drawing nearer. Before the end of the year, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will grace the PC and PS3, heralding in a new era for the ailing MMO - hopefully one without game-breaking bugs and an aimless questing system.

Square Enix has been promising Version 2.0 of Final Fantasy XIV for quite some time now, and believes that this update will provide a substantially different gameplay experience from its current incarnation. "[This] title has been rebuilt from the ground up, and centers on the core concept of rebirth, featuring a new world to explore and storyline to experience," Square Enix promises in a press release. While specifics on the redesigned gameplay and story have yet to emerge, A Realm Reborn is doing its level best to distance itself from its predecessor.

A Realm Reborn may not just mark a change for Final Fantasy XIV, but for the entire venerated Final Fantasy series. "This new title not only becomes a symbol of a completely new Final Fantasy XIV, but also marks the beginning of a new stage as the latest title in the Final Fantasy series," says Naoki Yoshida, the game's producer and director. Yoshida does not explain how FFXIV's redesign might affect future Final Fantasy titles, but remains optimistic that fans will embrace it. "I hope you're looking forward to it!" he exclaims.

Final Fantasy XIV has made its share of missteps, and its redesign has been a long time coming. Still, between waiving its subscription fees for a time and working to relaunch the game essentially from scratch, Square Enix has shown its commitment to at least one more honest go at making a second viable Final Fantasy MMO. If it works, great; if not, FFXIV could shut down while its predecessor FFXI is still going strong. That would be awkward for all involved.

Permalink

 

[saintdane05]

This could be interesting. Unfortunately, I have to wait for the Free to Play. Shame, since I actually like a lot of modern Fantasy games. I hated XIV though.

 

[GenGenners]

It's too late to relaunch XIV, as subscription models are all but dead now. They should switch to F2P while they still can.

 

[Tanis]

I hope it's like Guild Wars or something.

Buy for 50/60 and then it's free, except if you want hats.
Lovely, glorious, hats...and head pieces.

Actually, I'd LOVE IT if I could use a gunblade, dressed in as Kain, using Vivi's magic.

 

[Zaik]

Yeah, I'd at least give it a look if it didn't have a subscription attached.

As it stands it's already got a terrible history of failure(obviously) and there's no way I'd pay for access to something like that, no matter what it says it is now.

 

[FantomOmega]

As long as the "rebirth" doesn't end up being a stillbirth I'm fine with that.

Wait! is the console version this improved Final Fantasy gonna make it to the PS3 as planned?

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Folks, it's been free to play for like a year now. You can find the game on amazon (or wherever) for 10-15 bucks and you can play everything as long as you want for no subscription...until rebirth is released.

XIV was meant to be released PS3/PC simultaneously, but when the backlash came about the horrible release of the PC version, the PS3 port was put on hiatus. At that point they waived the subscription fee for the PC players, fired the director and replaced a large portion of the team (including most of the beloved members of the XI team), and took notes and suggestions through patching ever since.

This "Reborn" has been referred to as the "2.0" patch during this time that was meant to be the true overhaul of the entire game, and what PS3 players will start with. Over the past few months there has been lore in-game suggesting that a meteor is heading towards the planet, and this is what will "anniahlate" the world and birth 2.0.

Anyone could play it "somewhat" for free for a long time now, and I don't understand this knee-jerk jump towards the idea that every MMO must charge nothing to maintain servers and pay the salaries of content creators. Nevertheless, there's a great game hidden in here and 2.0, Reborn, or whatever it may be called should prove it to everyone, enough to finally charge the monthly fee for it. At least that's where my chips lay.

Side Note: FFXI is still going (relatively) strong and there's still a monthly charge for it, F2P is not the graveyard of once successful MMOs or necessarily the ideal solution to enter the market, it's just an approach that works for some companies and is one of several options available. A lot of F2Ps are actually hybrids of these models once you make it far enough in the game.

/rant

 

[Mistilteinn]

I'm actually pretty hopeful for this. From everything I've seen and heard, ever since Yoshida took over and most of the staff was replaced, this game became MUCH better--and not just from "unplayable" to "terrible", but to actually a pretty decent MMO. And with 2.0, they've essentially remade a lot of the game, what with a new graphics engine, redesigned world, etc. so I've got high hopes that this'll go well.

 

[telaros]

All the CGI movies in the world won't save it from mediocrity. Gameplay footage of real gameplay online and why we should care or GTFO!

 

[Tsaba]

well it will be nice, I still have very fond memories of FFXI and was very disapointed with FFXIV, I'll maybe give it another shot.

 

[Ishigami]

I participated in the CBT. I knew of all its short comings. Despite all my knowledge and warnings I ended up buying and playing it with my friends for 2 weeks.

You may laugh at me now...






Anyway according the loadstone that entitles me to a free trial on relaunch.

 

[dragongit]

Honestly by this point they should cut their losses and try to refocus their efforts into FF15. I mean they might make some money off this if they you know, let it ride out for a few years, but it may not be worth much.

 

[Beautiful End]

Well, that's good. There are no MMORPGs for the PS3 as far as I can remember, right? Except for DCUO, maybe? So I'll welcome it since I can't afford a fancy gaming computer at all.
But, you know, they gotta release the game first. They've already delayed it like, what, two years now? Square-Enix sure is getting used to delaying games.

Also, I, too, think they should go F2P. DCUO learned from their mistakes and did that. You can still pay if you want to but you don't have to. That's the only reason why i got the game in the first place (Alright, I actually got the disc for free but still...) If you want my money, release a special edition of this game with a bunch of random FF goodies.

There, it's a win-win situation.

 

[GTwander]

Folks, it's been free to play for like a year now. You can find the game on amazon (or wherever) for 10-15 bucks and you can play everything as long as you want for no subscription...until rebirth is released.

/rant

Nope. They started charging again for it months ago.
It pretty much coincided with the moment I *stopped* playing it.

No personal opinion on whether it should go F2P or not, but SE thinks so highly of itself that going that direction would "bring ancestor great shame /seppuku-ga".

 

[RyQ_TMC]

"FF14 2.0 is coming! Get excited! Oh well, we don't know a single thing about the new version, what with Squeenix not saying anything about what's changing, but still, GET EXCITED! I mean, they're promising a great game, it's not like they've ever promised something great and failed to deliver, right?"

 

[Rad Party God]

I hope it's like Guild Wars or something.

Buy for 50/60 and then it's free, except if you want hats.
Lovely, glorious, hats...and head pieces.

Actually, I'd LOVE IT if I could use a gunblade, dressed in as Kain, using Vivi's magic.

As much as I love Guild Wars [small]and hats[/small], I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but FFXIV still uses the good ol' P2P system with monthly subscription fees.

I just hope Squeenix turn both FFXI and FFXIV into F2P someday and change their ridiculous crystal system.

 

[MattAn24]

I'm not sure what FFXIV you guys have been playing lately, but the updates Yoshi-P (Naoki) has been implementing have been fantastic. The best announcement was that Hiromichi Tanaka stepped down as producer/director of FFXI *and* FFXIV. Best. Fucking. Day. Ever. Shame he's unwell now though. :/

Anyway, FFXI is also really holding up strong too! Seekers of Adoulin, RELEASE SOONER, DAMN YOU.

And everyone ranting about the F2P model? Uh... How is this a thing? Big games have a cost to servers. It's a persistent world. You're only being entitled elitists. There are still plenty of games with subscription accounts. The Old Republic is doing just fine, as is the new FunCom MMO, The Secret World. Don't want to pay for an MMO subscription? Fine, go play the shitty free ones. As I've been told many times in the past, "Good, Free, MMO. You can only pick two."

 

[Furrama]

With that pic and what they're saying, sounds more like they're ripping off Cataclysm just a bit.

Might be too little too late for a bunch of us.

 

[Furrama]

I'm not sure what FFXIV you guys have been playing lately, but the updates Yoshi-P (Naoki) has been implementing have been fantastic. The best announcement was that Hiromichi Tanaka stepped down as producer/director of FFXI *and* FFXIV. Best. Fucking. Day. Ever. Shame he's unwell now though. :/

Anyway, FFXI is also really holding up strong too! Seekers of Adoulin, RELEASE SOONER, DAMN YOU.

And everyone ranting about the F2P model? Uh... How is this a thing? Big games have a cost to servers. It's a persistent world. You're only being entitled elitists. There are still plenty of games with subscription accounts. The Old Republic is doing just fine, as is the new FunCom MMO, The Secret World. Don't want to pay for an MMO subscription? Fine, go play the shitty free ones. As I've been told many times in the past, "Good, Free, MMO. You can only pick two."

Thing is, the second you get a competent game that isn't subscription based, that 15 dollars a month thing is going the way of the dinosaurs. We're getting real close to that, if not GW2 it will be someone else very soon. Subscription based games are things people are getting tired of, like it or not, and server costs are cheaper than they used to be. 8 or 10 years ago you needed that subscription to keep the lights on, but with modern technology and techniques? That's not the case. All you have to do is sell a few hats or the box and issue the occasional upgrade content you're set.

 

[Prosis]

My guess is that it will be one long, streamed CGI cutscene. Like 200+ hours. The entire world will exist on a narrow road with no deviations.

All joking aside, it's going to have to be REALLY good to get me to look at it. Not sure why they're trying to repair a game rather than releasing a new one, and riding the wave of enthusiasm/advertisement that comes with it.

I mean, GW2 has no monthly fee, and comes out in August. Wow: Pandaria comes out in September, and costs the same per month as this does. TERA came out earlier this year, and TOR came out late last year. That is a TON of MMORPG to battle against for subscription fees, even if you do snag the PS3 crowd.

Captcha: Face the music.
Indeed.