The PS3 hasn’t been the only casualty in keeping the game fresh, either. Since then, the game has grown in more ways than one - new zones dwarf the old ones, major battles are more interactive and cinematic than ever, and player housing - a favorite feature among the game’s sprawling roleplay community - has flourished thanks to drastically reduced furniture limits. Even with sacrifices made to get a version of A Realm Reborn out on PS3, the aging hardware struggled to keep up, and within two expansions, it was phased out completely. Large, empty zones, cutting-edge player models, and a ridiculously detailed plot were bringing even powerful PCs to their knees. It wasn’t until after producer Noaoki Yoshida came into the picture that the root cause of the game’s performance issues during the PS3 era became apparent. Microsoft’s commitment to have any and all Xbox games work across both current and last-gen machines threatens to hold Final Fantasy XIV back in much the same way the PS3 did at the start of the last generation. But that doesn’t mean they’re fit for the purpose. There’s no denying Microsoft’s latest machines are more than up to the job of powering Square Enix’s fantasy MMO. But what if it’s ultimately the wrong direction for current players? With the wall about to fall and crossplay now more prevalent than ever, Square Enix has a whole new platform to grow its player base. Some speculated that it was due to Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold paywall blocking free-to-play and subscription-based games - a barrier Microsoft has committed to removing in the near future. Microsoft and Square Enix were previously in talks about bringing the MMO to its consoles, but it’s never gone beyond that. With the exception of the franchise’s original MMO, Final Fantasy XI, releasing on Xbox 360, Final Fantasy XIV has skipped Microsoft’s console business entirely. But Microsoft’s noble gesture to leave no player behind is exactly why it may never be able to offer Eorzea to its fans. After all, as Final Fantasy XIV grows in popularity, so do the want and need to accommodate its ballooning following.
The PS5 and Xbox Series generation is just now getting started, and it seems like Square Enix could be enticed to bring its massive open-world game to more powerful devices. The long road to stability Credit: Famitsu A PlayStation 5-optimized version is a no-brainer, and with Microsoft’s new machine holding more power under the hood, it’s only natural for the game to finally make the jump. With two new consoles out there, it’s time for its developers to talk shop about how they’ll be supported. There’s more than just new content to be considered for the game’s next update.