Square Enix Handled The FFXIV Mac Problems Right
Communication is a key component in the relationship between game developers and players. Gamers need to know if there any issues going on with their favorite mmorpg games and if anything tangible is being done about it. Sadly, the usual response from developers over problems is to maintain absolute silence until the very last possible moment. This leads to a great deal of frustration and anger from players, and it’s something that can be avoided.
The most recent example of this was how Guild Wars 2 handled the pricing of their upcoming expansion and how veteran players were treated by it. An outright revolt was getting underway before ArenaNet finally stepped in, made a statement, and offered some additional incentives to veteran players. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Square Enix, who moved quickly and decisively over how the Final Fantasy 14 Mac version was released. Let’s take a closer examination on how Square Enix handled the Final Fantasy 14 Mac problems right.
As most gamers know, Final Fantasy 14 is an mmo that has truly risen from the ashes like a phoenix. The game was terrible when it was released, and it quickly bombed as gamers quit the game in droves. However, Square Enix decided to do a full revamp of the game, and part of that revamp was keeping players informed of current plans, future goals, and the various priorities in fixing problems. The net result was that gamers were kept in the loop and their feedback was used and appreciated by the developers. Now Final Fantasy 14 is a very successful mmo and will likely be for quite some time to come.
The current issue is that Square Enix was releasing a Final Fantasy 14 Mac version, but they really dropped the ball on developing it and keeping players fully informed. The main problem was that system requirements released by the company were not the actual ones needed to run the mmorpg. They initially released no requirements and then released a number of different requirements that were all wrong. The end result was that many players who bought the Mac version of the game were unable to run it on their system. The normal reaction from most game companies would be to release a statement that they would be issuing a patch and for everyone to be patient.