Players who are into MMORPGs have always been in the hunt for the best MMORPG in the market. The reasoning for this is quite simple. MMORPG is a game that will demand a lot of time and money commitment from its players, and these players will want to make sure that the MMORPG that they will invest money and time into will be worth it.
Final Fantasy XIV has also been added into the pool of MMORPGs that people are contemplating as the best MMORPG currently. After the rise of popularity of Final Fantasy XIV in 2021 and 2022, the game has hit a major increase in the player base and more eyes are being drawn to it.
So here are the 10 things that we will analyse about Final Fantasy XIV in order to determine whether FFXIV is the best MMORPG that players can invest their time and money into in 2023.
1. Player base
FFXIV has a lot of players!
One of the main, if not the main reason, for players to jump into a MMORPg is because they want to interact with other players in the same game world.
It is an incredibly important aspect that players usually consider before jumping into a MMORPG. Of course, with a larger player base and community, the more appealing an MMORPG can be. This is because players tend to avoid MMORPGs that are not as active or 'dead', because there might be a chance that they might not be able to get a lot of player interaction, or worse, the game being shut down.
How about FFXIV's player base count then? There are approximately 40 million subscribed players in the game, and over 3 million active players playing daily. This is a huge amount, even after splitting the player base based on their chosen region and data center, from NA, EU, JP, and OCE.
Especially with the new ability of data center travel, now players can also visit other data centers across the region, allowing for more player base to form more communities.
FFXIV definitely excel very well in their player base, with their name also being brought up multiple times as having the most active player base amongst all MMORPGs.
Player base score: 95/100
2. Activeness
They are also very active!
Of course, the player base means little if they are not as active. Activeness also matters a lot in a game like FFXIV, where there is a lot of content that players can only do together with other players.
First of all, there are free companies in FFXIV, a community that is mostly known as 'guilds' in other MMORPGs. These guilds can hold up to 500 members per guild, allowing the players to engage in the community by joining either a small, knit-sized free company, or even bigger ones where more people will be active at all times.
On top of that, the Free Companies also often hold events that can be seen in the party finder feature. Players that are not part of their free company can also join in the fun and allow the players to talk and have fun with a larger audience.
Players can also find a lot of party finder recruiting for different kinds of content, so players who might be afraid of not having any friends jumping inside the game can also use the party finder community to find people to do content together with. Not only that, the duty finder option will also let the player queue for content easily and do it with other players queueing for the same content as well.
In addition, players who like roleplaying will also easily be able to find other players who are interested in the same thing. They can easily use this feature to make FFXIV feel more like a role-playing game.
FFXIV is a game with a large player base that is also very active, allowing its players to engage actively with each other.
Activeness base score: 90/100
3. Story
Hydaelyn is a core figure of FFXIV!
While story might not be an important reason for players to get into an MMO, it might help players feel more immersed within the game world, and feel more attached to its characters. Story might also be the main reason why players are motivated to do the main scenario questline.
Final Fantasy XIV no doubt owns a trophy for this category. Its story is so widely popular and praised by its player base, it's said that it even rivals some of the best Final Fantasy's mainline game's storyline, like FFVII and FFX.
Not to mention, FFXIV has also easily been dubbed as the MMORPG with the best story ever when being compared with other MMORPGs in the market. This easily puts them in a higher place for players who care about a game's story.
FFXIV has also implemented a lot of features that allow players to engage in the story mode completely alone without the need to group with other players. This is perfect for players who might want to enjoy the story of FFXIV but not liking the MMO aspect as much.
So this game is definitely perfect for players who are into MMO and good story in a game, as the game delivers both aspects greatly.
Story base score: 99/100
4. PVP
The Crystalline Conflict is a new PVP game mode in FFXIV!
It is not a secret that PVP hasn't been FFXIV's biggest strength. In fact, it can even be said as one of its weak points. However, the good thing is that the developers are actively trying to make this content a much better one for everyone who is interested in combating other players in the game.
So far, there are three different game modes of PVP in FFXIV. These are Frontline, Rival Wings, and Crystalline Conflict the newest PVP game mode recently added into the game.
While the PVP system and gameplay in FFXIv is still far from perfect, it is evident that there has been major improvements established into the PVP gameplay, especially seen with the increase of players who are actually interested in PVP and playing them actively when online.
Active players continue to hope that the developers will continue to listen to the players' feedback and make PVP a fun game mode to be able to be enjoyed by those who like this type of player versus player content.
PVP base score: 65/100
5. Dungeons
Variant and Criterion dungeon is a new dungeon type added recently!
Of course, PVE is not any less important than PVP content. And Dungeons have been an integral part of the core gameplay loop of an MMORPG's PVE content.
It can be said that the dungeon content in FFXIV is superb. Firstly, dungeons in FFXIV are used as a tool that can also help convey the story-telling of the main story quest line, causing players to feel immersed and connected with the dungeon they are in.
In addition, there are also a lot of dungeons available in FFXIV, from as low as level 16 up all the way to level 90 in the current Endwalker expansion.
Not to mention, the developers have also been actively trying to make dungeons a content that can also be challenging, similar to extreme trials and savage raids, by adding savage criterion dungeons, a content that can be cleared that has a much higher difficulty than your average dungeon.
Dungeons base score: 85/100
6. Raids
Raiding is an integral part of any MMORPG.
Raid has been a word that is closely connected with an MMORPG's end-game content. In other words, it's the optional content that players can do after completing the main story quest line. Raids are mainly aimed at players who want to play more of the game and challenge themselves to tackle harder content that has never been mandatory to do.
Raids are also a way for players to be able to gear themselves up for their BiS. While gearing is by no means necessary for the average casual player who just wants to enjoy the story and the social interaction, it's considered end-game for players who want to try their hand on the harder content that the game has to offer.
Starting as early as A Realm Reborn base game, Final Fantasy XIV has launched a lot of raids that people can enjoy. Savage raids are the harder content that have a much higher difficulty than its normal mode, allowing players to spend days or even weeks and months progressing the 'tier' and get their hands on their BiS equipment as well as glamour.
In addition, players can also tackle old savage raids together with their friends and experience the difficulty as if it has just been released in the days past, allowing new players to also be able to know the difficulty of old content.
Not to mention, since the Stormblood expansion, FFXIV has also added a new raid mode, the ultimate raid, which is the hardest content that players can do after clearing savage raids. Ultimate raids will also reward players who have cleared it a glowy weapon of their choice, signifying their merit in battle against strong foes in the ultimate raid. So far, there are four ultimate raids in the game with the fifth one coming very soon.
Raids base score: 88/100
7. Non-combat content
The land of pleasures and riches and non-combat content, Gold Saucer!
Of course, non-combat content cannot be removed entirely from judging an MMO's worth. There are a lot of players from FFXIV and even other MMORPGs who also enjoy non-combat content in the game. And thankfully, FFXIV excels very well in this regard!
First, there is the Gold Saucer, an optional area that players can visit as early as level 16. It is the home of optional gameplay which includes a lot of mini-games, GATEs, triple triad, and many more. Not to mention, players will also be able to get the Gold Saucer's own currency, MGP!
Players can also use the MGP that they have earned from playing the optional content in Gold Saucer to buy many things, from glamour for their characters, orchestrion rolls, minions, furnishings, and even exclusive mounts that can only be bought with MGP!
The second non-combat content available in FFXIV is crafting and gathering. Better yet, FFXIV also specify and differentiate each crafting and gathering class separately, allowing for a deeper gameplay loop for those who enjoy crafting and gathering. As of now, there are three gathering classes and eight crafting classes available for all players, including free trial players!
Crafting and gathering in FFXIV is also quite complex and deep. They each have their own stats, gear, and rotation, allowing extensive gameplay for crafters and gatherers. There are also many expert recipes, beautiful gear that can only be crafted with crafters, and many more!
Non-combat content base score: 95/100
8. Variety in gameplay
Players can have their own private house and apartment!
Variety in gameplay is extremely important for an MMORPG, especially one that is reliant on the player's monthly subscription that they have to pay every month in order to continue playing the game. Using this kind of method, it will be necessary for FFXIV to be able to provide enough content to make the monthly subscription feel worth buying constantly.
In this aspect, Final Fantasy XIV definitely excels greatly. As has been previously covered before in this article, FFXIV has a lot of content for the players, ranging from PVE in the form of dungeons and raids, hard high-end content for raiders, PVP content that is continuously being improved, to non-combat content that spans over the Gold Saucer attractions to crafting and gathering.
In addition, FFXIV also allows players to buy their own apartment or housing and decorate them. The new addition also brings
The content available in FFXIV is definitely plentiful and players might sink in thousands of hours trying to try out and complete every single one of them, not to mention its long-standing main story quest line that also takes a lot of time to complete.
Variety in gameplay base score: 98/100
9. End-game Content
Ultimate raid is the hardest content in FFXIV!
End-game content is also a very important part of what can keep an MMORPG game alive. This is because the end-game content is what will keep the players active and log into the game.
This is because end-game content will allow players to continue playing the game even after completing the main story quest line in FFXIV.
It has been briefly touched before, but end-game content in FFXIV is quite plentiful. As entrance for players who are new to end-game content, there are extreme trials, harder versions of the normal trials, which players often have to tackle during the main story quest line.
There is also the newly added criterion dungeon, as well as its savage version, a new type of dungeon that is challenging and different from the usual normal dungeons that players often encounter.
In addition, there are also normal raid and savage raids, optional content that the players can tackle for additional challenge and reward. This is also the main source of equipment that players can get for their battle job's BiS or best in slot.
Lastly, there are also four ultimate raids with the fifth one arriving very soon, the hardest content that the game has to offer for all hardcore gamers who are looking for the extra challenge.
End-game content base score: 95/100
10. Community
Players can also find their community through the community finder!
FFXIV's community is very popular even among other players who do not play the game. In fact, FFXIV has also won the awards for best community two times.
This alone proves that FFXIV's community is very welcoming, both to new people and to veterans. While there are still bad apples among the bunch, it is very few and far in between, with players echoing that they only meet toxic players less than 5 times.
FFXIV can also build community through other means and interests, from discord server, free companies, and many others. It is also incredibly easy to find friends by just sitting around and hanging in one of the big cities.
Community base score: 99/100
