Final Fantasy XIV
News, coverage and analysis tracking Final Fantasy XIV across the outlets.
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I'm loving WoW: Forever, but I can't help but miss the music of my other beloved MMO
The author expresses enjoyment for World of Warcraft: Forever's old-school feel but finds the game's sparse use of music jarring compared to Final Fantasy 14. While appreciating WoW's ambient sound design, they miss the constant, themed musical scores present in FFXIV, particularly those composed by Masayoshi Soken.
One Shots: The coziest bakery in all of Eorzea
This week's 'One Shots' feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, showcasing cozy bakeries in Final Fantasy XIV, a dramatic Flow explosion in Palia, intense combat in Darktide, a unique encounter in Lord of the Rings Online, and a humorous glitch in Skate. The column encourages readers to submit their own memorable in-game moments.
WRUP: A tribute to Beepalus Slimon, also known as ‘Mr. Beepy,’ because I was asked to do this edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' feature highlights community and staff plans for the weekend, with mentions of City of Heroes, Guild Wars 2, Elite Dangerous, Lord of the Rings Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Warframe, and Diablo IV. The article also includes a humorous, albeit strained, tribute to a character named Beepalus Slimon.
Massively Overthinking: Does action combat have too much of a negative effect on MMORPG scales?
This article discusses whether action combat negatively impacts the scale of MMORPGs, using Guild Wars 3's design as a focal point. Developers and writers debate if the emphasis on movement and momentum is worth the potential loss of large player numbers, with opinions varying on whether a compromise is possible or necessary.
Vague Patch Notes: How do you know you’re done with an MMORPG?
This article explores the concept of knowing when a player is truly 'done' with an MMORPG, moving beyond common reasons for quitting like complaints or community drama. It suggests that players should identify their core motivations for playing, such as character customization or social interaction, and recognize when those specific goals have been met, even if the game itself offers endless content. The piece highlights that this self-awareness allows for a satisfying conclusion to a player's engagement with a game.
Ahead of FF14 Evercold, the MMO's most desirable mount is back, but you need to be fast
The highly sought-after Regalia Type-G mount from Final Fantasy XV has returned to Final Fantasy XIV for a limited time as part of the 'A Nocturne for Heroes' crossover event. This multi-passenger mount is available for 200,000 MGP and requires players to have a level 50 job and have completed the base-game story quests. The event runs until October 13th, and this may be the last chance to obtain the mount before the upcoming Evercold expansion.
My first MMO character #1: Harvey Randall
Harvey Randall recounts his first MMO character, Leetman, a Human Rogue in World of Warcraft, created around 2004-2006. Despite being a novice player, he managed to afford a mount, a significant achievement at the time. He later transitioned to an Earthborn troll shaman in The Burning Crusade expansion.
Perfect Ten: The MMOs that paved the path for console MMOs
This article explores the history of MMORPGs on consoles, highlighting ten pioneering titles that paved the way for modern online console gaming. It details games like Phantasy Star Online, Final Fantasy XI, EverQuest Online Adventures, and Destiny, discussing their impact and evolution.
Halo Studios cinematic director promoted, then laid off in the same week
Xbox cinematic director Josh Daniels was promoted and then laid off in the same week as part of Microsoft's ongoing series of layoffs affecting 1,600 employees. This situation highlights the current instability within the video game industry, where even promotions do not guarantee job security.
I have fallen to my own hubris
The author expresses regret over min-maxing in World of Warcraft by hoarding quests before a level cap increase to 30. They are now struggling with limited inventory space due to quest items, highlighting a personal hubris in their approach to the game.
What's your 'back on my bullshit' videogame?
This article discusses personal 'go-to' video games that can consume hours of playtime, using Final Fantasy XIV as a prime example for its ranked PvP queues. The author also mentions a fondness for RPGs with romance elements, survival-crafting games, and co-op horror titles.
Nintendo reveals Japan’s best-selling Switch 2 and Switch digital games for August 2026
Nintendo has released the top-selling digital games for August 2026 on the Japanese Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch eShops. Village in the Shade topped the charts for the Switch 2, while Rhythm Heaven Fever led on the original Switch. The lists feature a mix of new releases and enduring popular titles.
Wisdom of Nym: Future weapons for Final Fantasy XIV jobs in the ranged damage category
This article explores potential future weapon concepts for ranged DPS jobs in Final Fantasy XIV, considering existing job mechanics and weapon types. It discusses ideas ranging from sports equipment like kicky balls to dual pistols, bombs, cards, and darts, analyzing their feasibility and thematic fit within the game's design.
The brave adventurers of WoW: Forever are all called things like Take Meds and Skonch Prime
World of Warcraft is implementing a new two-name system for its upcoming 'Forever' megaserver, allowing players to choose more unique character names. Blizzard has stated that inappropriate names will result in the removal of beta access, though the article highlights several humorous examples of player-created names.
WoW devs surprised to find pure liquid nostalgia is popular
Blizzard Entertainment developers expressed surprise at the overwhelming player numbers during the beta for World of Warcraft Classic, which experienced significant server issues. Senior producer Tom Ellis and designer Josh Greenfield noted that the unprecedented load on the beta environment, a version of the game from 2004 with numerous improvements, caught the team off guard, but issues have since been resolved.
One Shots: A very Viking campout
This week's 'One Shots' feature showcases community screenshots from various MMOs, including cozy nighttime cooking in Valheim, posing in Final Fantasy XIV, observing dragon growth in Guild Wars 2, and exploring a new Hytale world. The column encourages readers to share their own screenshots.
WRUP: The many moods of Glorngus edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' feature sees various gaming personalities discussing their weekend plans. Andrew Ross is playing Pokopia, Brianna Royce is returning to City of Heroes, Chris Neal is considering Lord of the Rings Online and Skate, Eliot Lefebvre is focused on Final Fantasy XIV and Warframe, and Tyler Edwards is diving into Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
Final Fantasy XIV delays its Crucible of the Unbroken rankings for a Beastmaster balance pass
Final Fantasy XIV has postponed the start of Season 1 for Crucible of the Unbroken rankings due to ongoing balance adjustments for the Beastmaster job. The development team cited player feedback regarding combat balance and gameplay mechanics as the reason for the delay. A new date for the rankings will be announced later, while the Final Fantasy XV crossover event returns on September 24th.
The Daily Grind: Have you ever created an MMORPG character perfectly on the very first try?
This article discusses the satisfaction of creating a perfect MMORPG character on the first try, using Final Fantasy XIV as a personal example. It poses the question to readers about their own experiences with character creation and whether they've ever created a character they've never felt the need to change.
ArenaNet studio head says Guild Wars 3 will have 'significantly less' UI elements on the HUD for an MMO — 'We very intentionally designed this because it's also on console and it's a lean-back experience'
ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson revealed that Guild Wars 3 will feature a significantly reduced user interface compared to other MMORPGs, aiming for a cleaner display that emphasizes combat and the open world. This design choice is partly influenced by the game's development for consoles, requiring a more streamlined, lean-back experience.
