The creators of the third-party tool PlayerScope for Final Fantasy 14 had to take their web backend offline and delete all data. The reason: a cease-and-desist order, likely from Square Enix.
What kind of mod is this? With PlayerScope it was possible to obtain information about characters from Final Fantasy 14 that are normally not displayed during regular gameplay. Specifically, the tool uses the internal account IDs of a character to retrieve information about all avatars of the same account.
Ironically, this is made possible by the blacklisting system introduced with Dawntrail, as this very system exchanges the character ID for an account-wide ID, through which tools can then determine the corresponding characters. A dream for any online stalker.
That was a completely different Final Fantasy 14:
He who does not listen will hear from the lawyers
What is known about the shutdown? On Reddit, a snippet of a statement from the operators of PlayerScope was shared this week. It states that due to a cease-and-desist order, they had to cease providing the third-party service and has “permanently and irrevocably deleted” all stored data.
Furthermore, it was stated that there would be no further updates, support or developments by the operator of PlayerScope. The source of the cease-and-desist order is, however, not revealed in the statement.
It seems, however, certain that this comes from Square Enix. Back in January 2025, Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida announced that he wanted to ensure a safe environment for all players. Therefore, they are considering taking legal action against anyone who uses or spreads such tools.
Yoshi-P also made it clear at the time that using third-party modifications in Final Fantasy XIV – unlike, for example, in WoW or ESO – is fundamentally prohibited. Furthermore, he urged all members of the Eorzea community to refrain from sharing details about such unauthorized programs – such as regarding the installation. You can find out more about that here: Mods for Final Fantasy XIV allow players to stalk their victims better – Now the head speaks out
