Eorzea is a “piece of home”
Game: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn | Developer: Square Enix | Platform: PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Release Date: August 27, 2013 | Model: Buy2Play with subscription
Sophia Weiß: Because MMORPGs are always online, with other people and especially in one way or another paid, I only hopped on the train in my early twenties. Sure, at 14, I once sniffed for two or three hours in World of Warcraft, but unfortunately, I didn’t stick with it.
Fun fact: I even tried it in 2011 with version 1.0 of Final Fantasy XIV. And I failed after 5 minutes due to the poor performance on my PC. Eventually, I truly started in 2016 with a demo CD from AnimaniA.
The entry was tough and arduous, but by now, the story and gameplay have completely hooked me: I love the characters, my Warrior of Light, and the battles. And this has been going on for almost nine years now.
I will never forget how my landlady asked me after successfully defeating the Hades boss in Shadowbringers if I had broken up with my boyfriend. I also received the same question at the end of Endwalker – only this time from the people at the regulars’ table in the beer garden under my apartment. My tip for everyone: close your windows while gaming.
Apart from the story, my heart is also with the crafters, gatherers, and late-night group activities like raids, mount farming, or treasure maps. Sure, I don’t belong to the hardcore team that finishes every ultimate right away. But there are enough other things to do to keep me busy indefinitely.
In short: Final Fantasy XIV is quite a piece of home for me that I don’t want to miss out on anymore.
For the MMORPG theme week, we had the opportunity to talk with Naoki Yoshida about the difficult start and the spectacular comeback of FFXIV. If you are interested in the exciting answers and statements from the popular producer and director, be sure to check it out here: The amazing history of Final Fantasy XIV from the producer’s perspective – Naoki Yoshida in interview
