Subscription Model Will Return to Final Fantasy XIV
But, free-to-play options might be considered in the future.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will re-introduce a paid subscription model, originally planned for the game’s initial 2010 release. Producer and director Naoki Yoshida told SPOnG at Gamescom today that this is down to fulfilling a promise to the RPG series’ fanbase.
“It is my job to basically make the game profitable. But, if you only think of profit, then the best thing to have probably done would have been to scrap [Final Fantasy XIV] and concentrate on Final Fantasy XV instead,” Yoshida jokes. “But, it’s not all about the profit. It’s also about bringing the players what we originally promised.
“Part of that original promise was to release the game under the subscription model - for players to pay for a monthly subscription and be able to play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Fulfilling this promise is the first thing we must do.”
The original launch of Final Fantasy XIV was nothing short of a disaster for Square Enix, which valiantly continued to patch the game and offer fixes for the worst glitches over the last two years. Players were offered 30 days of free game time before the paid subscription would kick in - the negative feedback forced the company to keep the game free-to-play after the initial box purchase.
A Realm Reborn is not an expansion pack for the troubled MMORPG, but rather a whole new game developed from the ground up. It’s intended as a replacement for the original version. Yoshida said that, once the game is launched and a subscription model enforced, that he will look to other business models and adapt accordingly.
“Depending on which direction the industry is moving, and which way we feel is better for the project, considering free-to-play or hybrid options could be possible. We can try different things in the future.” On the fact that many MMORPGs are moving towards a free-to-play model, Yoshida was unmoved. “We just didn’t want to do something just because a lot of other companies are.”
“It is my job to basically make the game profitable. But, if you only think of profit, then the best thing to have probably done would have been to scrap [Final Fantasy XIV] and concentrate on Final Fantasy XV instead,” Yoshida jokes. “But, it’s not all about the profit. It’s also about bringing the players what we originally promised.
“Part of that original promise was to release the game under the subscription model - for players to pay for a monthly subscription and be able to play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Fulfilling this promise is the first thing we must do.”
The original launch of Final Fantasy XIV was nothing short of a disaster for Square Enix, which valiantly continued to patch the game and offer fixes for the worst glitches over the last two years. Players were offered 30 days of free game time before the paid subscription would kick in - the negative feedback forced the company to keep the game free-to-play after the initial box purchase.
A Realm Reborn is not an expansion pack for the troubled MMORPG, but rather a whole new game developed from the ground up. It’s intended as a replacement for the original version. Yoshida said that, once the game is launched and a subscription model enforced, that he will look to other business models and adapt accordingly.
“Depending on which direction the industry is moving, and which way we feel is better for the project, considering free-to-play or hybrid options could be possible. We can try different things in the future.” On the fact that many MMORPGs are moving towards a free-to-play model, Yoshida was unmoved. “We just didn’t want to do something just because a lot of other companies are.”
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