Numbering of mainline games have been standard in the Final Fantasy series for over thirty years. However, the numbering was almost different, as Final Fantasy XI, which released in 2002, was nearly called Final Fantasy Online instead. Here's the story behind the first MMORPG in the long-running series, and why the name was ultimately changed.
There is a long history behind games entering and leaving the Final Fantasy series. The original entries in the SaGa series were released internationally as the Final Fantasy Legend games, while the Japan-exclusive Bahamut Lagoon started life as Final Fantasy Tactics. The game known as Xenogears was one of the original ideas for FF7, while Secret of Mana nearly became FF4. A famous example of this happening within the Final Fantasy series was FF15, as it was originally a spin-off of FF13, called FF Versus 13.
The first ten games in the Final Fantasy series were single-player experiences, but that all changed when FF11 was released. A lot of critics at the time questioned why the MMO was a mainline entry in the series, with many suggesting FF Online as a more appropriate name, especially as Square was pushing its PlayOnline service. It turns out this suggestion was actually considered within the offices at Square.
How Final Fantasy Online Almost Changed The Entire FF Series
A new website called We Are Vana'Diel has been created to celebrate the 19th anniversary of Final Fantasy 11. The site contains an interview with producer Hiromichi Tanaka, who discusses how the game came to be. According to Tanaka, the idea of releasing FF11 as a spin-off title called FF Online was brought up early during the development of the game. The idea was shot down by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who was adamant that the game be a numbered entry in the series, and be treated as a mainline Final Fantasy.
If FF11 had become FF Online, then the numbering of the series would have been altered. It's also likely that FF14 would have become FF Online 2, as it's also an MMORPG, meaning that the most recent mainline entry in the series would have been FF13 (FF15). Some fans questioned the idea of making an MMORPG into a mainline entry in the series, as it made it impossible to complete them all. It's possible to finish and 100% FF1-10, but that's not always possible in MMOs like FF11 and FF14, which keep receiving new content.
Square Enix likely doesn't care about this, however, as FF11 and FF14 keep bringing money in every month, making them the most profitable Final Fantasy entries in the series. Final Fantasy XI is still beloved by fans around the world, and turning it into a spin-off wouldn't have diminished the enjoyment that millions of gamers experienced in the game.
Source: We Are Vana'Diel