Recently, one of the most popular mods for Final Fantasy XIV was shut down by the developer itself. Now Naoki Yoshida, the Director and Producer of the MMORPG, speaks out: As a PC gamer, he is open to mods, but there are limits.
What exactly upset the community? On August 22, the mod Mare Synchronos
was shut down. This mod allowed users to share mods across clients with other players. Player A could, for example, see individual mods from Player B.
The developer received a legal request
a few days before the shutdown and decided to take this step. This led to an outcry on social media and a review bombing of the Steam version of Final Fantasy XIV, as many players hold Square Enix responsible for shutting down their favorite mod.
On August 26, YouTuber Xenosys Vex released an interview with the Mare developer. In it, he stated that his biggest issue was the moderation of the content shared by the over 270,000 registered users. This also included illegal sexual acts.
On August 28, 2025, Naoki Yoshida spoke out and wrote in a post on the Lodestone about his own views on mods. He also explains when Square Enix must shut down mods for what reasons.
Even the boss actually thinks mods are quite good, but…
What does Naoki Yoshida himself think about mods? Yoshi-P’s statement begins with him identifying as a long-time PC gamer. He is also open to modding itself: For over twenty years, I have seen how mods can expand the fun of the game and positively influence the gaming experience.
It is important to him that certain limits are not crossed. These include that mods should only be used for personal use and at individual responsibility. In addition, mods should not harm the respective game and its services or undermine the game design.
… when limits are crossed, Square Enix must act
Why is it not good for other players to see other players’ mods? The statement does not specifically address Mare Synchronos. However, Yoshida gives three examples that fit the application of Mare very well:
- If a player mods difficult-to-obtain armor for their own character, that is okay as long as this armor is only visible to that one player. However, once other players can see it, it can diminish the achievement of having actually earned that armor for those who have achieved that.
- Of course, it is also possible to mod paid shop items, which could encourage others to also mod instead of spending money.
- Additionally, such a mod could be used to depict player characters and NPCs naked. As long as only the mod user can see this, it falls under their personal responsibility. However, if screenshots or videos are made of this and posted online, it could have serious legal consequences for Final Fantasy XIV as a game in some countries.
For example, regarding in-game shop armor, Naoki Yoshida also mentions that he is aware of player criticism that more money is flowing to Square Enix through the shop. However, this revenue is important to maintain the services of Final Fantasy XIV. He cites increasing server, energy, and property costs, among other things.
Regarding the third example, he also goes into detail that the guidelines for game content are becoming increasingly strict to protect minors. Final Fantasy XIV is required to comply with the laws of all countries in which the game is offered. Failure to comply could also lead to the cessation of the game.
In conclusion, Yoshida states that he is aware that the most mods were created with good intentions
. He also does not criticize mod developers and users. The team will continue to do their best to provide a positive gaming experience.
Naoki Yoshida’s statement reinforces the suspicion that the request to the Mare developer actually came directly from Square Enix. At the same time, it also suggests that the team will continue to turn a blind eye to mods as long as the limits set by Yoshi-P are not crossed – even though, of course, mods and third-party tools are still prohibited under the Terms of Service. In the same statement, he also gave cryptic hints about things that will happen after the upcoming Japanese Fan Festival: The boss of Final Fantasy XIV gives a hint about the start time of the upcoming expansion
