Square Enix has announced a temporary halt on sales of Final Fantasy 14 to address the ongoing server congestion that has plagued players since early December. This drastic measure, revealed on Thursday morning, aims to alleviate the login difficulties and in-game latency that have intensified following the launch of the highly anticipated Endwalker expansion. New players eager to join the critically acclaimed MMORPG will also find registration for the free trial temporarily suspended.
Since the early access launch of Endwalker on December 3rd, Final Fantasy 14 servers have been under immense strain. Two weeks following the expansion’s release, players continue to face persistent issues, including error messages and significantly extended queue times when attempting to log in. This widespread congestion has disrupted gameplay and prompted Square Enix to take decisive action to stabilize the game environment for existing players.
To mitigate these problems, Square Enix is removing the Starter Edition and Complete Edition of Final Fantasy 14 from sale. This suspension is designed to prevent an influx of new players from further exacerbating the already strained servers, allowing current subscribers a better chance to access and enjoy the new content. While paid subscribers were previously granted priority login access over free trial users, the company has now extended the suspension to new free trial registrations. The overwhelming server load has made it exceedingly difficult for even free trial users to log in, necessitating this comprehensive approach.
Image: A visual representation of Final Fantasy XIV server congestion issues experienced after the Endwalker expansion release.
The sales suspension will be implemented across various retailers in the coming days, although Final Fantasy 14 remains available on platforms like Steam as of this writing. Crucially, current players will not be affected by this sales pause. Square Enix will continue to offer expansions and Collector’s Edition digital upgrades for active accounts, ensuring that existing players can still access and purchase new content.
Naoki Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy 14, issued a statement acknowledging the inconvenience caused by these measures. “To those who have been invited by their friends and family who have been considering joining, as well as our retail partners, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and ask for your understanding and cooperation in order to reduce congestion,” Yoshida stated. He further assured players that Square Enix is actively monitoring the server situation and will reassess resuming sales in the future.
In recognition of the ongoing disruptions, Square Enix is enhancing its compensation for players. The previously announced free subscription time, initially set at seven days due to Endwalker congestion, has been extended to 21 days. This additional two weeks of complimentary playtime aims to compensate players for the login difficulties and server instability they have endured. Furthermore, advertising campaigns for Endwalker will be temporarily paused, although Square Enix noted that complete suspension across all platforms is not feasible.
Addressing concerns about the timing of the upcoming patch and raid content, Square Enix confirmed that Patch 6.01 remains on track for its scheduled release on January 4, 2022. Despite the server congestion, the studio intends to proceed with the content launch, barring unforeseen major setbacks. This decision may impact hardcore raiders who are still struggling to log in consistently, but Square Enix is committed to delivering the new content as planned.
This is not the first instance of Square Enix suspending Final Fantasy 14 sales. Earlier in the year, a similar measure was briefly enacted when the game experienced a surge in popularity, leading to server strain and login queues. This previous suspension highlights the challenges of managing server capacity amidst the MMO’s growing player base and the impact of major content releases.
Image: Official announcement from Square Enix regarding the temporary suspension of Final Fantasy XIV sales and free trial registrations to combat server congestion.
Square Enix is taking significant steps to address the Final Fantasy 14 server congestion issue. The temporary sales suspension and extended free playtime demonstrate their commitment to prioritizing the gameplay experience for existing players during this period of unprecedented demand. Players are encouraged to stay updated on official announcements for further information regarding the resumption of sales and ongoing server improvements.
