Final Fantasy XIV is a force of nature. While it hasn’t reached the insane, over-the-top player counts that World of Warcraft did at its peak, it has a dedicated fanbase that turns out for every new release. Now, all the fun of exploring Eorzea and getting your face kicked in by Morbols at Aurum Vale can be yours on the go (with a few minor changes) in a new adaptation of the beloved MMO that has fans everywhere frothing at the mouth.
Lightspeed Studios (the folks behind PUBG Mobile) is releasing Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, a recreation of the story and gameplay of the original game. Let me repeat: Final Fantasy XIV is coming to mobile, although not in the way many fans expected. This is not the original game, although it borrows heavily from it. You won’t be able to drop into a Pandaemonium raid from the train, but you can keep one of your favorite fictional worlds close at hand no matter where you go.
The press release describes it as a “sister to FFXIV, aiming to recreate the grandeur of the original’s story and combat mechanics.” In theory, that sounds great — but Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a Sysphean experience until you finish the main story quest. If the mobile version is similar, Square might find it a challenge to keep players engaged until they reach the more entertaining content. If you’ve never played the game before, it’s a worthwhile experience, but the first part of the game is a slog through what feels like a never-ending wave of fetch quests.
Streamlining the grind
If Square finds a way to streamline A Realm Reborn and get rid of the grind, then we can talk. That said, Square has made several ill-advised choices when it comes to mobile games. Even adaptations of beloved franchises can suffer without the right person at the head. Square’s press release says that even non-combat features like the gathering and crafting classes will be added to the mobile version, and that suggests the existence of an in-game economy of some kind. After all, what purpose does a crafting class serve otherwise? Fan-favorite activities like fishing, Triple Triad, and chocobo racing are also making an appearance.
How different the mobile game is from the original remains to be seen. We’re hopeful, but we also acknowledge that this could be a cash grab on Square’s part. There are a lot of obstacles to overcome. Inter-player communication is one thing — you can’t type quickly mid-battle on a phone — but the interface also poses an issue. It will need to be reworked, as there’s no way to properly show all of the UI elements in the limited size of a phone screen. A mobile version of Final Fantasy XIV sounds great (and could be) but Square’s development history is against it.
