As of late, the FFXIV community has seen a influx of players trying the game (thanks to the FREE TRIAL that includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn AND the award-winning Heavensward expansion up to level 60 with no restrictions on playtime…) specifically, WoW players.
WoW folks who are fed up with the state of their game are moving to FFXIV and becoming part of Eorzea, or are simply curious and trying it out to see what FFXIV has to offer. This has included some big names in streaming and YouTube. You know the ones I’m talking about.
Not really being a WoW player (I have a Panda Monk I got up to level 48 once, but that’s it), I’d never heard of these folks before. But when word got out that Asmongold was some kind of community tipping point for a WoW streamer trying FFXIV, I got on board for the ride just out of my own curiosity.
There has been some concern on the FFXIV front that the warm and welcoming community is going to be infiltrated by the terrible toxicity of the WoW mentality as these folks come in to play “Our Game.” But so far, I’ve seen quite the opposite happening.
In fact, the video series by Medieval Marty has been about as wholesome as you can get. I highly suggest watching his series as he explores FFXIV and finds a new home.
He’s just one of many that you can find on YouTube if you search. I haven’t had time to watch them all, but there are some really good experiences shared out there!
It’s fascinating for me to watch someone not new to MMOs, but completely new to FFXIV, begin to learn about the world and all the elements that make it special. When they start to vibe with the story (sometimes even if they claimed they don’t play MMOs for story) and become attached to characters, I see a bit of myself in them.
And that’s nothing short of inspiring.
Of course, I can’t write about this topic without mentioning Asmongold. While I don’t agree with everything he does, and I don’t always appreciate the language he uses, Asmon has as of this past weekend (to the surprise of some FFXIV vets) stuck it out through ARR MSQ and made it to level 50+. Not only that, but he’s gone through the story (often reading much of it to his viewers), responded to that story on an emotional level, introduced Eorzea to a group of people who had likely never seen it before, and has made it fun.
For all the people cracking down on ARR story, Asmon seemed to have a really good time. He was able to communicate that, share the experience, and likely inspire others to give FFXIV a try, too. He also had some interesting thoughts on story and community that I thought were insightful.
Infectious Inspiration
The joy of discovery isn’t lost upon me in all of this. Coming this September, I will have been subscribed to FFXIV since 2013 with no breaks. There was some time in the first year where I set the game down a little bit (specifically around level 50, until roulettes made getting tomestones easier), but for the most part, I’ve played very consistently all this time.
I’m a casual FFXIV player overall. While I may log in just about every night, it might not be for long stretches, or it’s just to run one thing and then do some crafting. But that’s how I’ve maintained playing the same MMO for as long as I have.
This new wave of WoW to FFXIV folks, even the ones just trying it out and sharing their experiences, has been quite an inspiration to me as a long-time player. Not only am I going back to see parts of the story I’d forgotten about (since I skip through most MSQ on my 6th time), but I get to see someone else enjoying and exploring the same things that I did 8 years ago.
This has actually motivated me to pick up FFXIV and push through some things I want to do before Endwalker comes out. Namely, I have one more character who needs to finish Shadowbringers.
For all of Asmon’s language, I really do like his “Let’s Do It!” mentality when he approaches quests. Even the cumbersome ones.
I’ve been trying to use that motivational thought for my own approach – the 5th time through Shadowbringers. As much as I love the expansion, and I appreciate that Trusts are there to get me through most of the dungeons, it’s still difficult to repeat it for a 5th time. But I’ve been finding the means to get it done and I’m glad to be doing it.
Personally, I’m excited to see FFXIV getting all this attention from new folks – no matter if they come from WoW or from anywhere else. I feel like the our community can welcome them and will adjust to the influx of gaming culture as it always has.
The future seems bright. I’m excited to see new people joining the game and bringing other new people to our worlds. Thank you for sharing your experiences and providing inspiration to this long-time player – I hope you all continue to have a good time in Eorzea!