| Final Fantasy XIV | |
|---|---|
 Collector's edition cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Square Enix Business Division 5[a] |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Director(s) | Naoki Yoshida |
| Producer(s) | Naoki Yoshida |
| Designer(s) |
|
| Programmer(s) | Hideyuki Kasuga |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | Kazutoyo Maehiro |
| Composer(s) | |
| Series | Final Fantasy |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
Final Fantasy XIV[c] is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Square Enix. Directed and produced by Naoki Yoshida and released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Windows in August 2013, it replaced the failed 2010 version, with subsequent support for PlayStation 4, macOS, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Final Fantasy XIV is set in the fantasy region of Eorzea, five years after the devastating Seventh Umbral Calamity which ended the original version. In the Calamity, the elder primal Bahamut escaped from his prison, an ancient space station called Dalamud, unleashing an apocalypse across Eorzea. Through temporal magic, the player character of the original version escaped, reappearing at the start of A Realm Reborn. As Eorzea cements its recovery, the player must fend off a reignited invasion from the Garlean Empire.
The original Final Fantasy XIV was a commercial and critical failure. Then-Square Enix President Yoichi Wada announced that a new team, led by Yoshida, would assume control and address the game's flaws. The new team both continued to develop and improve the original version, and secretly worked on a completely new replacement. This new game, codenamed "Version 2.0", used a new engine, improved server infrastructure, and revamped gameplay, interface, and story. The original version shut down in November 2012, followed by an alpha test for Version 2.0.
The relaunched game released to largely positive reception; critics praised its solid mechanics and progression, and commended Yoshida for an unexpected recovery. After a poor 2013 fiscal year, Square Enix attributed the 2014 return to profitability partly to the game's strong sales and subscriber base. By October 2021, it had gained over 24 million registered players and become the most profitable Final Fantasy game to date.[1] Final Fantasy XIV has received regular updates since release, including five major expansion packs: Heavensward (2015), Stormblood (2017), Shadowbringers (2019), Endwalker (2021), and Dawntrail (2024).
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- ^ Kim, Matt (October 13, 2021), "Final Fantasy 14 Surpasses 24 Million Players, Becomes Most Profitable Final Fantasy Game In the Series", IGN, archived from the original on October 13, 2021, retrieved October 13, 2021