FINAL FANTASY XIV Online News

Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXVII Set for November 5/6

The date has been set for the next Letter from the Producer LIVE, where we’ll be announcing new information regarding crafters & gatherers, system-related updates, the new PvP, and other updates coming in Endwalker!

Date & Time

NA: Friday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m. (PDT)
EU: Saturday, November 6 at 2:00 (GMT)

* Starting time subject to change.

Where to Watch

* Includes live interpretation from Japanese to English.

Show Details

New Endwalker Information
Miscellaneous Updates

Final Fantasy creator blitzes FFXIV's entire story in just over one month

After a little over one month of grinding, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has played through FFXIV's entire story so far, making him ready for Endwalker later this month. To think, I was pleased with myself for wrapping up Heavensward and starting Stormblood in the week I had off.

Sakaguchi initially started playing Final Fantasy XIV on September 27, kick-starting a steady flow of wholesome screenshots and reactions on Twitter. He finished A Realm Reborn in around 16 days, though it only took him two days to wrap up Heavensward, which is some feat. Sakaguchi tackled Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and all the other patch content at a slightly more relaxed pace, finishing Shadowbringers on October 29 before wrapping up patch 5.55 on Halloween.

Sakaguchi initially started playing FFXIV ahead of a fireside chat with director Naoki Yoshida about the appeal and potential of RPGs at this year's Tokyo Game Show. In a subsequent interview with YouTube channel Easy Allies, Yoshida suggested he might have been brushing up beforehand, though Sakaguchi has been grinding away since doing the talk with Yoshida.

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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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