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| Derek Heemsbergen |
Catch a glimpse at what the future holds for Eorzea.
01.22.11 - 11:22 PM
The launch of Final Fantasy XIV was met with lukewarm, critical reception. Between a counter-intuitive user interface and a general lack of content, the game seemed disappointingly incapable of becoming a worthy successor to Final Fantasy XI. When fans' hopes were dwindling, the announcement of a restructured development team acted as a Phoenix Down to an ailing community. In the month or so since the announcement was posted, two updates were made to the game, but both were based on plans made before the new staff took the helm. Now that new content is being developed, Director Akihiko Yoshida has posted an extensive letter on the Lodestone, in which he apologizes for his absence and outlines his current plans for Final Fantasy XIV.
The first thing Yoshida did this year was create a fairly in-depth poll, asking for opinions on a variety of suggested changes to the game. In his letter, he breaks down the results of the poll to give players an idea of where Final Fantasy XIV is headed. Specifically, he asserts that the development team is committed to improving the battle system, user interface, and overhauling fundamental gameplay aspects to make Eorzea a more exciting place to explore. The first major additions will be in the form of story-based quests along the lines of those featured in Final Fantasy XI, coming sometime in February. Yoshida also mentions that the team is looking into creating an Auction House, another long-demanded feature. Other interesting tidbits include the possible implementation of a jump feature and the return to traditional Final Fantasy class names such as Monk and Paladin.
For a detailed report including graphs of how votes were distributed, check out the full letter.
While these changes are still in the planning stages, the fact that Yoshida is communicating so openly demonstrates his commitment to making Eorzea a world where years of exciting adventures await. We will continue to update as details emerge on the future of Final Fantasy XIV.
