Some refer to Patch 9.1 “Chains of Domination” as the best patch for Final Fantasy XIV. However, Chains of Domination is the latest patch for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. How does that fit together and why are so many players drawn to Final Fantasy?
What is it all about? In WoW, many players are currently feeling burned out. As usual, after the release of Shadowlands in November 2020, the routine set in and the wait for the next patch began. After seven months, significantly longer than usual, the long-awaited and much-anticipated Patch 9.1 “Chains of Domination” was released on June 30, 2021.
However, the patch apparently could not take away the frustration of many players regarding the current developments in WoW, nor could it smooth the waters between Blizzard and them. Some players have now reached a point where they are looking for an alternative to WoW. For some, Final Fantasy XIV fits the bill.
The MMORPG from Square Enix is currently very popular. FFXIV breaks records on Steam and was briefly so in demand that no digital codes were issued anymore.
Final Fantasy XIV as a safe haven for former WoW players?
What is happening between WoW and XIV? Currently, there is an increasing number of videos on YouTube and comments on reddit from WoW players who want to switch to Final Fantasy XIV or have already done so. A Google search for “leaving wow for ffxiv” yields many current results on the topic.
Across various channels, WoW players currently trying out Final Fantasy have shared their experiences and reasons for the switch.
What is the mood on reddit? On reddit, former WoW players are enthusiastic about the game and the community:
- For instance, user HarryPopperSC writes: “[…] It’s crazy, but it changed the way I approached the game, how I read the stories, how I actually wanted to talk to random NPCs and how I just chilled, how I discovered the game, how I got to know all the other cool systems, and not just how to be the best and most efficient PVE player. I honestly can’t explain how great I feel. It can be so simple, and I’m not sure when/why I stopped playing games this way […]”
- Reddit user Acegundam117 writes: “[…] Overall, WoW has disappointed me for a while because of the community, so I was looking for something new that was fun. So I decided to hop on the bandwagon and try FFXIV, and oh man, I’m happy again […]”
- Phantomx_Destiny writes in the Asmongold subreddit: “FFXIV gets better with every expansion, and you know 100% what you will get when […] and WoW either stays the same, gets worse, or sometimes improves in some aspects and gets worse in others (One thing that WoW will always be better than FFXIV is PvP).”
What is the mood on Twitter and Facebook? Players are also writing about their experiences with Final Fantasy on Twitter and Facebook and about the mistakes Blizzard is currently making with WoW:
- User Paul P. writes on Facebook: “The toxic WoW player is back. Holy moly, I need to share my first experience in FFXIV also in this group: […] I’m just overwhelmed! The nearly 4 hours were truly unique. What a community – I haven’t seen anything like this in almost 10 years […].”
- Also on Facebook, Nicholas O. criticizes the WoW community: “I recently came to FFXIV after regularly playing WOW for over 15 years. […] Your personal value was determined by item level, not by your ability to play or how friendly one was. […] Overall, they are a thousand times more welcoming and helpful, kinder than in WOW.”
- Twitter user @XGC_REPO writes: “The story is amazing. All the things I miss from World of Warcraft, I get in FFXIV. Officially a #wowrefugee. Sorry Blizzard, but I gave you all the chances in the world to fix your issues.”
In summary, it can be said that WoW players who now enter FFXIV probably do so mainly because of the fresh content and the friendly community for them.
Another strong asset for the success of Final Fantasy XIV is the story and the storytelling, which has reached its peak in quality with the latest addon Shadowbringers. This experience is also reflected in our user ranking of the popularity of expansions.
Content creators increase players’ willingness to switch
In addition, many big streamers and YouTubers are currently trying FFXIV after a long hesitation, bringing their large communities with them or generally ensuring more coverage for the MMORPG.
Which big names are trying out FFXIV? The fact that WoW players and YouTubers are coming to Final Fantasy XIV is not new. For example, streamer and influencer Jesse Cox started playing last year and recently compared both games extensively. But other content creators like streamer Rich Campbell or the big WoW YouTuber Bellular are also dealing with the game.
The current wave of new players is likely to have been influenced by Asmongold, who started playing Final Fantasy XIV on July 3. Over 200,000 viewers watched his first steps simultaneously.
The attention he sparked with his streams is one of the reasons for the increased interest in the game.
A part of the players sees many problems with Shadowlands
Why are people quitting WoW? However, the frustration of some players regarding WoW also serves as a reason for the switch to FFXIV. With the release of Shadowlands, several new systems and content were introduced that left some players dissatisfied:
- The amount of loot from dungeons, raids, and world quests was significantly reduced at the release of Shadowlands. Although there were adjustments to the raid after release, this is still being discussed.
- The covenants also sparked discussions. Particularly the differing rewards between the four covenants and the usefulness of their unique covenant abilities put some players in the dilemma of “utility” vs. “aesthetics.”
- The grind for anima has left many in the community frustrated. The amounts available were too low for many, and many lacked further possibilities to farm it. The fact that it is not an account-wide feature and thus unfriendly towards alts was also frustrating.
In addition, for example, the Maw has been criticized for its difficulty, the effects of the Eye of the Jailer, which has imposed increasingly severe negative effects on players, and that no mounts could be used. Some found the implementation of the Maw irritating overall, even though its difficulty was intended.
What problems exist with Patch 9.1? Patch 9.1 is the first update created under home office conditions, as Game Director Ion Hazzikostas told us in our interview with him. This might also explain the long wait for the patch and why it feels “small” to some players.
Aside from the long wait caused by Covid between 9.0 and 9.1, players again had issues with some implementations of the patch’s contents. For instance, the Shards of Domination were criticized, which caused frustration due to legendary gear. And even good “quality of life” changes came too late and were too limited in scope.
Players and even large WoW streamers like Asmongold additionally criticized that Blizzard actually does not know what the players wanted and that the developers regularly get bogged down in new systems and features with each addon. Problems are also being solved that do not represent problems and are thus wasting valuable resources.
The reddit user Dragarius also sees a problem with the “time gates” that regularly stretch the content artificially. An example of this is farming reputation or the time gates with the covenants:
I have actively and less actively played WoW since it launched in 2004. But this expansion is it for me. I’m done. I’m fed up with the ridiculous time gates, the huge never-ending grinds, and the generally borderline player-hostile gameplay, as well as a story that nobody is happy with.
Horde players hate that their faction has been turned into cartoon villains and the Alliance is tired of playing second fiddle and being used as a punching bag by the Horde.
Source: reddit
In the last few days, criticism has also been directed at the story development, and the final sequence of the raid has been torn apart by the community. Over 70% of the ratings on YouTube are negative. We have reported on the “Sylvanas drama”.
Is everything currently bad about World of Warcraft? No, by no means. With Patch 9.1, the new raid “Sanctum of Domination” and the mega dungeon Tazavesh have been released to keep players engaged. Blizzard is famous for its encounter designs.
There are also new glory levels, and players can unlock flying in the Shadowlands. In PvP, talents and gear have been adjusted, and Korthia is coming as a new part of the Maw, which does not have to suffer under the Eye of the Jailer. One of the first quests in 9.1 allows you to completely eliminate this in the Maw.
Can the criticism be understood? It cannot be definitively stated with a clear yes or no. Especially on reddit and in the WoW forums, the community is divided on this issue. Many who like Shadowlands see the criticism from disappointed players as “whining.”
Will Final Fantasy XIV be able to keep these players?
Is World of Warcraft really dying this time? World of Warcraft has been said to be dying, fast or slow, for years. But it’s unlikely this time:
- There are still many supporters of the game in the official forums. Furthermore, experience shows that negative feedback is communicated more than positive.
- The player numbers in WoW fluctuate regularly. Estimated numbers from multiple analysis sites show no irregularities (via mmo-population; activeplayer)
- Players of MMORPGs spend years developing their character and social contacts. Giving this up is a lengthy process.
WoW still has a very active and passionate player base. The current success of Final Fantasy XIV cannot change that. However, the fact that the game has problems cannot be denied.
Will players leave WoW for Final Fantasy long-term? This will show in the future. There are no official numbers on how many active players both MMORPGs currently have and how many of them have switched.
Even with the strong increase in players in FFXIV due to the “influx” of prominent streamers, this could be a temporary trend phenomenon. Games often experience a hype that then subsides when players’ favorite streamers are no longer actively playing. An example of this is the game Rust, which caused a lot of hype at the beginning of the year. According to Steam charts, however, player numbers have calmed down again.
The great strengths of World of Warcraft compared to Final Fantasy lie mainly in the raid and PvP areas. The player-vs-player modes in Final Fantasy are more niche and are not the developers’ focus, who rather concentrate on the story and PvE content.
It is conceivable that more players will switch between an active WoW and an active Final Fantasy XIV subscription in the future. The release schedules for new updates often differ.
Final Fantasy XIV does not necessarily have to become a long-term refuge for disappointed WoW players. At least not for everyone. Against certain strengths of Blizzard’s MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV currently cannot prevail, and the style of the game could also deter WoW players.
What do you think about this situation? Are you perhaps even former WoW players trying your hand at Final Fantasy XIV? Or were you at some point affected by the sales stop of the game? Then feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us.
