Final Fantasy 14: Endwalkeris officially live, bringing with it tons of story content, class changes, and system updates. As proof of its resounding success,Final Fantasy 14’scurrent active daily population has nearly doubled, making the critically-acclaimed MMORPG one of the most active on the market right now.
BeforeEndwalkerentered Early Access on December 3,Final Fantasy 14had about 2 million active players on any given day, with a gradual increase that eventually saw it steal the lead from its competitors. After its launch, the game’s active population skyrocketed, with 3.35 million active players–more than double that of its runner ups,RunescapeandWorld of Warcraft.
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Until recently,Final Fantasy 14’ssuccess had it neck and neck with MMO titanWorld of Warcraft. With nearly 20 years on the market,WoWhas had a long time to grow a massive playerbase and rapport. In 2018,World of Warcraft’saverage active daily population was at its height–right aroundFF14’scount right now–but it has seen that number steadily decrease over the last few years.
There are several reasons this paradigm shift is occurring. On one hand,Final Fantasy 14’sfantastic community, developer support, and incredible storytelling and gameplay systems have contributed to its meteoric rise. On the other,World of Warcraft’sstorytelling and design decisions have been less popular, and recent allegations ofsexual assault and discrimination surrounding Activision Blizzard’s higher-upshave soured its reputation with much of its player base, causing many to seek out other games to play.
Final Fantasy 14’scommunity is overjoyed to see it flourish. WhileFF14’sdevelopers are famously humble, and would never brag about its success, its player base has no such reservations about celebrating it in their stead. The massive influx of new players means more people to play with, and more people to experience the twists and turns of the gripping narrative ofFinal Fantasy 14.
However, some players have concerns aboutFinal Fantasy 14’scontinued growth. The larger a community gets, the more chances it has for toxicity to flourish within it. Part of the reason forFinal Fantasy 14’shumility is to lead by example–ifFinal Fantasy 14players harass and tease refugees fromWorld of Warcraftor players new to MMOs, they unwittingly create a hostile environment that can breed negativity across the board.Final Fantasy 14’spositive community is one of its greatest strengths and features. The last thing it wants to see is its community tarnish that reputation and scare away potential players.
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalkeris available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
