“As specified in the FINAL FANTASY XIV Terms of Use, the use of external tools is strictly prohibited. If we detect the use of such tools, your account could be suspended, banned in case of recidivism, or suffer other penalties.“, Launches Naoki Yoshida’s press release dryly, the warning of which is therefore aimed specifically at PC players.
It is therefore necessary to define what an external tool is and the reasons why certain players use these methods. While Square Enix cannot decently identify all the external tools available on the internet, the development team is able to detect the use of programs that facilitate the game experience, that allow you to change the ATH, to add elements on the interface or to modify the information packets.
Reputed to be rather quiet for an MMO when you only worry about the main quests, Final Fantasy 14 has another side specially intended for the most determined and relentless teams. These gather around Fatal Raids, battles with mechanics so complex that even the most tight-knit and available teams can take days to defeat their target, not without having planned for days, even weeks. Here, the slightest mistake leads to the death of the entire group of eight players who have no chance of success without full communication.
With Update 6.1, Square Enix released the deadliest Fatal Raid ever in gaming history, so it took the Neverland team nearly an entire week to land the title. first clear against this raid called Dragonsong War. It is therefore this race for success and this fascination for high difficulty content that has generated the use of tools to facilitate the game. “Our wish is to keep this competition fair for everyone, and that’s why we ask players not to use external tools that could benefit them. Please be aware that the development and content balancing teams ensure before release that these high difficulty missions can be completed with the features present in FFXIV, and without the need for external input.“, recalls Naoki Yoshida.
Although this race for success is not highlighted in Square Enix’s communication, the development team has taken to leaving comments on social networks to congratulate the first teams who arrive at the end of this content. hellish. But Yoshida fears that these messages have helped to galvanize the spirit of competition and therefore encouraged the use of forbidden tools. “However, these comments also have the effect of intensifying the competitive spirit, pushing many players to resort to external tools to increase their chances of success. Therefore, and to avoid any snowball effect again, we think to refrain from any official comments in the future.“
Even more seriously, Naoki Yoshida sends an anything but friendly message to people who, by exploring the data of the PC version of the game, are at the origin of leaks on this highly protected content. “I would like to recall that the analysis of data by illicit means, with the aim of revealing resources, whether visual or of any other nature, may be punishable by law.“, explains Yoshida for whom”any intentional leak of information” is “absolutely unacceptable” both in relation to the efforts of the developers and because they spoil the pleasure of the players. Legal measures have also been taken against the person responsible for the large-scale leak before the release of the Shadowbringers extension .