Yoshi-P tells Asmongold how FFXIV caters for new and hardcore players
Asmongold/Square EnixIn an interview with Asmongold and fellow streamer, Rich Campbell, Final Fantasy XIV producer Yoshi-P was asked how the game manages to cater to both new and hardcore players.
Asmongold and Rich Campbell interviewed FFXIV producer Yoshi-P in anticipation of the game’s next expansion Endwalker. Asmon started by saying that MMOs don’t seem to be as popular as they used to be. However, games like FFXIV and New World seem to be leading a resurgence.
Yoshi explained that MMOs must compete with many types of entertainment today, including other games. He also said that many players don’t have the time to sink hundreds of hours into one title. He went on to say that developers need to remember that MMOs are a service and one that needs to cater to different types of gamers.
Square-EnixCatering for different Final Fantasy XIV players
Asmon and Rich questioned how a game like FFXIV manages to cater to casual players, who may want to jump online and play a few quests, but also remain appealing to hardcore players.
Yoshi said that developers just need to understand their players and make sure different play styles are accounted for when content is developed. This way, all players feel catered for, which is important because casual and hardcore players all support MMO games.
He said: “Some players just want to explore or chat with other gamers, while others are hardcore raiders. There are so many different kinds of people playing MMOs, sharing our world. We don’t want to neglect people just because they’re causal or heavy gamers. Our world is being supported by all these different types of players.”
Speaking about Final Fantasy XIV’s next patch Yoshi said: “Patch 6.1 will add some casual content. But we do intend on implementing the new ultimate raid so the hardcore players have something to look forward to. I want to satisfy both ends of the spectrum.”
Asmongold, Square EnixHow FFXIV caters for new players
Rich asked Yoshi how FFXIV manages to appeal to new players without them feeling overwhelmed. Yoshi explained that the development team pays close attention to new players and works hard to create an environment they can enjoy.
Yoshi explained: “What are these new players thinking about when they start FFXIV from scratch? We can’t go back to old content for this. These opinions are always very interesting to see and I’m always curious what kind of reactions they are getting when seeing this content for the first time. Are there any areas we need to adjust? This helps us open up that funnel and welcome new players in.”
FFXIV’s welcoming community
As well as engaging openly with FFXIV fans, Yoshi also thinks that the community deserves a portion of the credit for helping new players join in. But believes experienced players can sometimes be overly keen when helping new players progress, which risks stifling them and hindering that player’s own journey of discovery.
“I’m very proud of our community, they’re very kind and very welcoming. When a new player comes in, they’re quick to help and I think we’ve got one of the best communities in the world. But I hope our veteran players let the new players have some of this discovery for themselves. You’re supposed to enjoy the journey. I hope people prioritize having fun.”