FINAL FANTASY XIV Online News

FFXIV devs ban selling clears via the Party Finder, but not buying them

The Final Fantasy XIV devs issued a series of changes to its conduct policy earlier this week, clarifying the rules around stalking and harassment (and erotic role-play) and providing more details about how the penalty system works. But those were just public clarifications of rules the devs had already been using behind the scenes. The only actual rule changes regard advertising on the Party Finder, and in a new update the devs have provided some additional context on why those changes have been made.

The new rules ban advertising help for clearing duties via the Party Finder - in other words, you can't sell clears there. You can, however, advertise the fact that you're buying clears. Mercenary activities for in-game rewards are totally okay with the devs, it's just that real-money traders were posting ads for gil-driven clears when the real transaction would be for actual money.

"Though the situation varied with each region," global community producer Toshio Murouchi explains, "there were an enormous number of cases where RMT vendors created recruitment listings in the Party Finder under the guise of mercenary activities, which hindered normal players in their use of the Party Finder. The changes made at this time are intended as measures to rectify this situation and promptly crack down on fraudulent recruitment listings."

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Updates to Prohibited Activities in FINAL FANTASY XIV and Account Penalty Policy

In order to ensure players can continue to safely enjoy their time in FINAL FANTASY XIV, we have made changes to the “Prohibited Activities,” as well as the related “Account Penalty Policy.”

Follow the links below to view the updated documentation:

Although we have not updated the SQUARE ENIX Account Terms of Use, the FINAL FANTASY XIV User Agreement, or the FINAL FANTASY XIV Materials Usage License, we encourage players to take this opportunity to review and become familiarized with them once again.　

Visit the Lodestone for details.

UPDATE:

There have been many lively discussions in the community following the update. To this end, Global Community Producer Toshio Murouchi would like to follow up with clarification regarding some of the larger points of discussion.

You can find the full follow-up message on the Lodestone.

*Updated on November 3, 2021.

You won't get banned for FFXIV ERP - as long as it's private and consenting

If you've played Final Fantasy XIV, you've probably walked past a mostly-nude Miqo'te dancing in Limsa Lominsa with the RP icon next to their name. If you know, you know. If you don't, you should keep walking. Today, the developers of FFXIV have issued a major expansion on the rules around harassment, and it includes some specific guidelines on erotic role-playing scenarios.

Using emotes to "mimic grinding against another character" or that are "evocative of sexual activities" is an "obscene/indecent expression" and thus violation of the rules - if you're doing it in public or with a partner who's not into the whole thing. Basically, these things are technically against the rules, but you're only likely to get in trouble for it if you're reported.

"In the case of role-playing involving mildly sexual expressions (such as erotic role-playing) with a consenting group of two or more players, if it is conducted in a private area, it will not be considered a violation unless a report is made," the devs explain in the new rules. "However, if you encourage or invite a player to participate in such role-play without being certain of their consent, there is a high possibility that you will be reported and penalized. Please be very careful."

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FFXIV devs update harassment rules, will issue "in-game restraining orders" against stalkers

The Final Fantasy XIV devs want to do more to combat stalking and harassment, and it seems one of the steps in that process has begun today. The developers have greatly expanded the wording of the rules around harassment, and made clear that stalking can result in an "in-game restraining order" against offending players. Violations may also be penalised if they're discovered through public in-game communications or a stream.

Across the board, the rules are largely about consent. Stalking is defined in terms like "persistently moving to locations where someone is, despite being asked to stop the behavior", or "creating new characters to message someone who has blacklisted you, despite being asked to stop the behavior".

Once reported, stalking players "will be penalized, and we may contact the victim and obtain their consent to issue an in-game restraining order. Should we confirm that a player has attempted to contact the victim through any means after being issued an in-game restraining order, a more severe penalty will be imposed."

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Upcoming Changes to Scrips and Allagan Tomestones

Patch 6.0 will see several changes to Allagan tomestones and scrips, including the removal of Allagan tomestones of phantasmagoria, as well as red crafters’ and gatherers’ scrips.

Players carrying any of these currencies are advised to exchange them before the start of Patch 6.0 maintenance.

Visit the Lodestone for more details.