After wrapping up a decade-long story with 2021’s Endwalker, many followers have anticipated the following Last Fantasy XIV growth to be one thing of a trip for the Warrior of Gentle. Dawntrail, which is about to launch this summer season, positive does appear like it might be a soothing jaunt given its tropical setting. However Director Naoki Yoshida has different plans, saying that the MMO has gotten too approachable in recent times and that it’s time to deliver some stress again to the expertise. The factor is, he’s completely proper!
Speaking to Famitsu in an interview translated by IGN, Yoshida stated that the event crew has “made the sport extra approachable, in order that it may be performed with out stress. However wanting again on the final 10 years, we could have overdone it a bit.” He asserts that video video games want that factor of stress, even when it’s a delicate steadiness. For FF14, that steadiness was in shambles throughout the 1.0 launch, which is why Yoshida was introduced on within the first place. Below his path, the once-failing MMO made one of many best comebacks in gaming, relaunching as A Realm Reborn in 2013 to extensive acclaim. Subsequent expansions like Heavensward and Shadowbringers have solely raised the sport’s fame larger. However a lot of A Realm Reborn could be retroactively seen as an try and overcorrect the issue of 1.0. Injecting extra stress into the sport is a crucial resolution each to achieve that steadiness that retains gamers excited and engaged, and likewise to supply longtime gamers for whom the sport has grown overly snug a contemporary expertise.
It’s simple to conflate issue with stress, however Yoshida has a particular method in thoughts. “When you play a side-scrolling motion recreation and there aren’t any gaps you can fall down if you miss a soar, the sport could be freed from stress,” he explains, “However it might additionally not be enjoyable.” FF14, with its fixed inflow of latest programs and story quests, isn’t in fast hazard of turning into not enjoyable. Extra jobs, high-end raids and trials, and extra new issues to do supply gamers a cornucopia of the way to expertise the world of Eorzea. Current modifications have additionally included the removing of a few of the recreation’s superfluous quests and the introduction of mechanics just like the Belief system that make the sport simpler to meet up with as a brand new or solo participant.
However for a lot of gamers who’ve caught with the sport for over a decade, a well-recognized cycle types in the way you play, which may result in issues feeling routine.. It’s solely pure that veterans would wish a problem. “By [restoring that stress somewhat], we may supply gamers the correct of problem, and do it higher than ever,” Yoshida says.
As a longtime participant of FF14 and a brand new participant of the franchise’s first MMO, FF11 (which continues to be kicking!), I’ve some thought of what I’d need. FF11’s method to its programs and world is rather more keen to carry issues again, and the sport permits its refusal to elucidate every part to generate factors of friction. That features issues like locking important programs akin to teleportation and trusts (summonable NPCs that help you in battle) behind quests you could not even know exist. The world is rather more keen to exist by itself phrases and allow you to discover your individual method by way of it. After a lot time with the comparatively player-friendly FF14, I wish to see Eorzea push again only a bit.
After all, it stays to be seen simply how Yoshida and the FF14 crew may very well go about introducing some stress again into the sport. If that concept sounds intimidating, properly, don’t fear an excessive amount of, as this isn’t a direct change, however relatively a long-term purpose for the following decade of the MMO. Warriors of Gentle in every single place would possibly nonetheless get that much-deserved trip throughout Dawntrail in any case.
