Before Final Fantasy XIII managed to trudge itself to the console world, Final Fantasy and other fellow Square fans were happy and content – too happy even. The game that has been milked dry (yes, I'm looking at you Final Fantasy VII), and the numerous eponyms of Square Enix's flagship brand has certainly kept fans from all walks of life satisfied. But as ideas run dry and fantasies turn sour, some game companies look to the MMO market as another venture or frontier. Square Enix is one of them. Their continuing success with Final Fantasy XI has given them a place in the MMO community. However, things seem to have derailed when Final Fantasy XIV was released.
A New Fantasy
When the fourteenth installment of the Final Fantasy franchise came to be, there was a lot of promise and a lot to expect from. What's not to love from the people who brought us arguably one of the best RPG franchises? The new world, the new races (which bore some resemblance to the races they made in the past FF games) and the new appearance all seemed like the perfect bait for MMO gamers and Final Fantasy enthusiasts alike. It was a nice change of pace from the typical Warcraft-esque setting, though the game does share the same sentiments in the fantasy genre.
Then came the beta-testing phase. Months before the official launch came to be, everything about FF14 still had a pound of promise. Naturally, there were problems here and there – but that's the point of beta-testing – yet there was so much to be thrilled about. There were a few unexpected twists here and there, like the rumored and ill-accepted Fatigue system, but there was still hope. That phase was all about experimentation, and Square Enix was as recipient as a sponge to all the player criticisms. Ah yes, those were troubled yet fun times. And surely, just like a sponge, Square Enix would squeeze out something good from what they absorbed, right?
...Wrong.
