Dev Appreciation: S/E – The FFXIV Team
This is dev appreciation week at Blaugust, and it probably comes as no surprise that I’d write a post about my favorite MMO dev team at Square/Enix.
Most everyone has heard the story about how Yoshi-P single-handedly created a miracle when he turned the ship around on what was once FFXIV 1.0. I’m not at all going to downplay this feat – the man absolutely does deserve all the love the fans give him. But he was not alone in creating the MMO that has most recently brought one of the best expansions I’ve ever played in any genre – Shadowbringers.
When I went to Fan Fest back in 2016, I got to meet a number of the dev team including Foxclon, Soken, and even shared an elevator ride with Koji and Masaki Nakagawa (Mr. Ozma). I almost got to meet Yoshi-P, too, but security cut the line two people in front of me, and turned the rest of us away, so that never happened. 🙁
I have to say that from all the Live Letters and the Fan Fests and meeting them in person, this team has a ton of energy and a lot of love for the world they create. I know they don’t always make the perfect choices when it comes to game direction, but I honestly feel the team does take into consideration feedback, communicates well, and does everything to make Eorzea the place I log into almost every day.
At the end of this month, FFXIV celebrates yet another Rising (what year… is this 6?… I’ve lost count). It’s the anniversary of ARR’s release, and a celebration where most often, Yoshi-P and the team thank the players for making the game what it is today. It’s always a touching and humble gesture on their part. Never just a “Hey, we’re great, our game is 6 years old!” but a “We appreciate you being here and supporting us and helping us reach this milestone!” feeling.
I think that’s what sets this team and game apart for me. It’s crazy to think that I subbed to FFXIV very shortly after ARR launch (having not played 1.0 and never having any interest in it before then) and I have never been unsubbed in all these years. Not even one month. I’ve never done this with any other MMO I’ve played in the past. And I don’t see myself hanging it up anytime soon.
So to the great FFXIV team, thank you for all your hard work! You’ve brought me so much enjoyment, many friends, and an outlet for creativity. I hope that in some way, you have an idea of how your creation has enriched the lives of others.
