Last Fantasy 14’s neighborhood is as soon as once more in a tizzy about using mods in sport, to the purpose the place the sport’s producer and director, Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), has weighed in.
First, some background. Whereas modding is an especially widespread observe throughout many video games, together with different MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Last Fantasy 14 has at all times had a barely extra hostile relationship with them. That is to not say gamers do not use mods in FF14 – they completely do. However formally, they don’t seem to be allowed. Even so, Sq. Enix has largely operated for a very long time on a coverage of letting mods slide…so long as gamers aren’t too loud or apparent about it. So gamers may use mods to customise their UIs, or change the way in which their character seems to be simply on their very own display screen. So long as they are not interfering with different individuals’s video games or, say, being very public about their mod use, the writer has principally turned a blind eye.
However that technique hasn’t at all times labored out for Sq. Enix, particularly as a result of lack of actual readability for gamers as to what Sq. Enix can be permissive about, versus what it would instantly ban. And lately, mods have been within the crosshairs of the developer as soon as once more. Earlier this 12 months, Yoshi-P himself threatened authorized motion after a mod went round that might monitor different individuals’s participant information – a mod that is fairly clearly not permitted by any requirements. However extra lately, a unique, much less clearly problematic mod has entered the discourse: Mare Synchronos.
Mare Synchronos is a mod that is develop into widespread with Last Fantasy 14 gamers over time, particularly for role-playing communities. Basically, it lets those that use it “synchronize” their character appearances with these of different gamers. This is an instance. If I am enjoying FF14 and do not have plenty of cool gear to decorate my character up in, and do not need to run the content material wanted to amass it for no matter purpose, I can use a mod that can let my character seem precisely how I need them to – however solely on my display screen. Nevertheless, with Mare Synchronos, everybody else utilizing Mare Synchronos may see that modded look. Gamers who don’t use the mod will see my character in no matter bland gear I am truly sporting. And critically, Mare would not truly allow you to change your character’s look – different mods are wanted for that. Mare simply helps you to see different mods, and be seen.
Nevertheless, every week in the past, Mare Synchronos introduced it was shutting down. The cited purpose was that it had acquired a “authorized inquiry” surrounding the challenge, and after reviewing choices, the creator determined to wind it down. It formally went darkish final Friday. Whereas some followers have been unphased by the shutdown, and even claimed they’d anticipated it will definitely, many others have been deeply upset. Although Mare’s developer hadn’t specified who the authorized inquiry was from, many speculating it was doubtless Sq. Enix, and even took to the FF14 official boards to complain in regards to the third-party mod shutting down. It is even getting evaluate bombed on Steam proper now, at present sitting at “Blended” current critiques versus “Very Constructive” whole critiques.
Which is what has prompted Yoshi-P to talk up. In a prolonged publish on the official Last Fantasy 14 web site, the producer reiterated his past-stated stance on mods: he tolerates them. That stance, he says, hasn’t modified. Mods made completely for one’s personal private use that solely impression the person utilizing them, Yoshi-P explains, are high-quality with him. “I might prefer to stress the significance that gamers observe two guidelines: that their fashion of gameplay doesn’t infringe upon others, and that they don’t negatively impression the core sport, its companies, or supposed sport design, as talked about above.”
Yoshi-P goes on to element precisely what he means by “destructive impacting the supposed sport design” and “infringing upon others.” He provides an instance of a participant, Participant A, who likes to raid and acquires a brand new title and weapon by efficiently ending an Final raid. Participant B doesn’t have time to raid, and makes use of a mod that enables them to see their character with the identical title and weapon as Participant A. So long as that solely shows on Participant B’s display screen, that is not an issue for Yoshi-P.
Nevertheless, the place Yoshi-P takes challenge is when this begins to impression others. If Participant B’s adjustments are seen to Participant A one way or the other, “it significantly negates the cooperation, time, and energy invested, to not point out the satisfaction they may have felt of their achievement.”
He goes on for example one other instance that’s unacceptable: a mod that enables gamers to freely equip non-obligatory gadgets bought from the FF14 On-line Retailer and show them to others:
“Some could say that Sq. Enix is in charge for making an attempt to earn cash by demanding that gamers spend additional on non-obligatory gadgets,” he writes. “We function our servers and information facilities twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days a 12 months with the hope that our gamers can take pleasure in a dependable gaming expertise. At present, international inflation is taking its toll at a speedy tempo, driving up server electrical energy prices, the price of land, and even the worth of servers themselves. We don’t need to improve subscription charges for gamers, if in any respect doable─however protecting our sport working requires enough earnings. If we begin making a deficit, FFXIV could now not be capable to function. That is an instance of harm dealt to the companies we offer.”
In a 3rd instance, Yoshi-P mentions the potential for a mod that shows a personality fully bare. Even when that is solely displayed on the participant’s display screen, he explains the way it may probably nonetheless be dangerous. As an illustration, if a participant posts a screenshot of their bare character on social media, FF14 could face authorized penalties.
“Legal guidelines that regulate the content material of video video games develop stricter by the 12 months,” he says. “These legal guidelines are there to guard minors and for a wide range of different causes, however the truth stays that they’re tangibly changing into stricter. We have now an obligation to supply our companies in adherence to the legal guidelines of all nations the place FFXIV is obtainable, and if we’re unable to take action, the distribution of our sport might be prohibited. That is one other instance of harm dealt to our companies.”
Yoshi-P ends his publish by saying he intends to hearken to participant suggestions and attempt to improve the liberty of gamers to equip various kinds of gear. “Whereas paying respect to the long-standing custom of modding PC video games, I ask that each one gamers in flip respect our sport by having fun with their enjoyable throughout the confines of some fundamental guidelines,” he concludes.
Whereas this publish accommodates some much-needed clarification, it in the end does go away Last Fantasy 14 in the identical odd limbo state it is at all times been in: no mods allowed, besides it is high-quality if nobody ever is aware of you are utilizing them. Whereas that can doubtless be enough clarification for a lot of gamers, it is nonetheless a probably irritating place for gamers who’ve constructed their gameplay types across the modding neighborhood and what it has to supply. No less than over on console, nobody has something to fret about.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You’ll find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Obtained a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.
