- Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, has shared a statement regarding mods that may "infringe" on other players' enjoyment and the core game
- Yoshida says he has no issue with mods but wants players to be aware of the rules
- He also said sharing the use of NSFW mods online could lead to the game being subject to legal measures by regulators in certain countries
Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, has issued a warning about the continued use of mods that may "infringe" on other players and also lead to legal troubles.
Last week, it was reported that one of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods was shut down due to a "legal enquiry". The mod, named Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, like character customization add-ons.
News of the mod's takedown wasn't received well by users, which later led to the game being review-bombed on Steam.
Now, in a new Final Fantasy 14 blog post, Yoshida has responded to the overall matter of mods, stating that though he "tolerates" the personal use of them and understands that modding culture is "rooted in good intentions", he wants players to be aware of the importance of the game's user agreement.
"In the past twenty or so years, I've seen numerous positive examples of games with fan-made mods that expand upon existing gameplay," Yoshida said. "However, these mods are generally created with a vital premise in mind: they are for personal use only, and the individual player is responsible for the mods they use.
"Furthermore, the mods must not impact the core game, its services, or the intended game design in a negative manner. I personally feel that these rules should be followed by all mod creators and users."
The director adds that if players continue to uphold these rules to enhance their personal enjoyment of the game, he personally sees no reason to track them down or investigate gamers for their use of mods.
He also stressed the importance of two rules in particular: that the mods don't "infringe upon others" and they "do not negatively impact the core game, its services, or intended game design, as mentioned above."
Yoshida continued by offering a lengthy list of examples where mods may infringe on others and impact intended game design, including a scenario where a player may use mods to bypass certain conditions to obtain in-game items, like Ultimate Raid loot.
The director explained that this wouldn't be an issue if it were for personal enjoyment; however, showcasing the loot that wasn't earned through participation to other players in-game would be against the rules and would result in the mod's take down.
"In response, our only options would be to ask that players cease using the mod, or to request that the mod creator removes the functionality causing the problem," Yoshida said. "Of course, we could also implement preventative measures in-game, but this would divert programming resources from other areas, potentially damaging the enjoyment of other players in the long run."
Similarly, Yoshida said that this would also apply to FFXIV Online Store items that have not been purchased but modded, suggesting it would be unfair to players who have spent real money.
"Some may say that Square Enix is to blame for trying to make money by demanding that players spend extra on optional items," he said. "We operate our servers and data centers twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year with the hope that our players can enjoy a reliable gaming experience. Currently, global inflation is taking its toll at a rapid pace, driving up server electricity costs, the cost of land, and even the price of servers themselves.
"We do not want to increase subscription fees for players, if at all possible--but keeping our game running requires sufficient income. If we start creating a deficit, FFXIV may no longer be able to operate. This is an example of damage dealt to the services we provide."
Finally, Yoshida touched on the matter of NSFW mods, reiterating that if a player decides to mod their character to appear naked, it might fall into the category of personal use and responsibility, but if the user shares screenshots online, "FFXIV itself may be subject to legal measures by regulators in certain countries."
"Laws that regulate the content of video games grow stricter by the year," he said. "These laws are there to protect minors and for a variety of other reasons, but the fact remains that they are tangibly becoming stricter. We have a duty to provide our services in adherence to the laws of all countries where FFXIV is available, and if we are unable to do so, the distribution of our game can be prohibited. This is another example of damage dealt to our services."
The director added that he does not intend for his examples to be a censure on mod users or creators, but asks that players respect the game by enjoying it within the confines of basic rules.
You might also like...
- Final Fantasy 14 director has a pretty simple explanation for why the Monster Hunter Wilds collab will feature Omega – 'In the Monster Hunter team, there are many Warriors of Light'
- Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
- Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
English (US) ·