Final Fantasy XIV

Lore & Background

Final Fantasy XIV is set in the fantasy region of Eorzea, five years after the Seventh Umbral Calamity, in which the elder primal Bahamut escaped from his prison, an ancient space station called Dalamud, unleashing an apocalypse. 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, codenamed 'Version 2.0', which 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. 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 became the most profitable Final Fantasy game to date. 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).

Reader's Guide

Final Fantasy XIV is significant as a rare example of a critically and commercially failed game being completely rebuilt into a highly successful MMORPG. The original 2010 version was a commercial and critical failure, leading Square Enix to replace the development team with one led by Naoki Yoshida. The new team secretly developed a replacement, 'Version 2.0', while still supporting the original, which shut down in November 2012. The relaunched game in August 2013 received largely positive reception, with critics praising its solid mechanics and progression, and commending Yoshida for an unexpected recovery. In the years since, it has been listed as one of the greatest games of all time. Its financial impact was notable: after a poor 2013 fiscal year, Square Enix attributed its 2014 return to profitability partly to the game's strong sales and subscriber base. By October 2021, it had over 24 million registered players and became the most profitable Final Fantasy game to date. The game's legacy includes regular content updates and six major expansion packs through 2027, as well as a cancelled mobile adaptation announced in 2024 and cancelled in July 2026. Its unified interface and cross-platform support, including a large library of automatically translated game terms, allowed players speaking different languages to communicate.

Did You Know?

• The original Final Fantasy XIV shut down in November 2012, and the relaunched version released in August 2013.
• The game's story begins five years after the Seventh Umbral Calamity, caused by the elder primal Bahamut escaping from the ancient space station Dalamud.