It’s hard to believe that Final Fantasy XI is still around, especially since Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has been Square Enix’s premier MMO. This online game debuted on PlayStation 2, so seeing the game’s fanbase live on through its PC port is surprising. For now, Square Enix has decided to keep the MMO alive, thanks to consistent fan support.
How long is that goodwill going to last, though? Because maintaining online servers is expensive, we wonder if Square Enix should make an offline version of Final Fantasy XI. Releasing a single-player version of this game could keep this entry’s legacy alive, as Dragon Quest X: Offline in Japan has shown.
Then again, if Square Enix is still making money from these longtime fans, the company should keep this game online.
Releasing an offline version of this older MMO would only be problematic for development and costs when making this game. We also imagine that trying to take years of expansions and updates and converting them into a single-player campaign would also be really difficult. In the end, it would be worth it, as a lengthy single-player game with some DLC campaigns is easier to maintain than a really old MMO.
Fans of Final Fantasy XI would probably be against this move, since they are still paying for this game monthly. That’s right, Square Enix is somehow keeping this decades-old MMO alive with a subscription service model. It sounds insane, but World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn are still doing really well with these subscriptions.
Plus, they’re probably playing this game with friends they made over 20 years ago, which is pretty impressive. You don’t see a lot of younger gamers checking out FFXI, since they’re too busy with A Realm Reborn and Marvel Rivals. We’re sure some hipsters are trying this game out on their Steam Deck, but they won’t be the majority audience.
click to enlargeMaybe talks of Final Fantasy XI Offline are too early, especially since this game is going to get more updates for the foreseeable future. It’s kind of magical seeing this game continuing to be supported by Square Enix, even after years of greedy business decisions. This MMO could have been taken offline years ago, but the fan support is so strong that it would be a waste to do so.
An offline version of Final Fantasy XI can always come a few years later. Maybe it can even be retooled as a spinoff single-player game that doesn’t retell the story. Until then, fans should enjoy this older MMO while they still can.
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