Final Fantasy XIV may the MMO on everyone's mind these days, especially considering its incredible redemption story. However, before there was Final Fantasy XIV, or even World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy took its first steps into the MMO world with Final Fantasy XI.
Perhaps even more amazing is that Final Fantasy XI continues to have an active player base in 2020, as well as a paid subscription service. Through thick and thin the game has managed to survive and thrive for eighteen years.
Few MMOs have managed to see such longevity and success, and a big part of that is how Square Enix crafted and supported Final Fantasy XI.
Final Fantasy XI Doubled-Down on Player Freedom
Freedom is at the heart of the MMO experience, and the best of the genre gives players an endless amount of options. A big part of this for Final Fantasy XI came with the series' iconic job system. Players could choose from a variety of different jobs in Final Fantasy XI, but unlike most MMOs, you didn't have to change characters to change "class." Players could collect gear from all across the world, then use it in tandem with jobs to experiment with entirely new playstyles. The game also added sub-jobs on top of the system, expanding on each role with even more unique ideas and playstyles.
What resulted was an experience that felt unique to each player, and experimentation was necessary. Outside of traditional MMO ideas, jobs even applied to the wider game and not just combat, like how thieves can pick locks. Final Fantasy XI took the ideas of the series and applied them to the MMO formula in interesting ways. Yes, the game had its rough patches, but over the years through changes and additions, the core systems became even more engaging. As MMOs became more guided experiences that held player's hands, Final Fantasy XI still demanded that players figure out its systems for themselves, and experiment.
Further developing on player freedom is the Trust system introduced in 2013, that let players summon NPC characters to fight alongside them. This meant that players no longer had to form parties to take on the game's tougher challenges, encouraging solo play and guaranteeing options even if player numbers fell. Many of Final Fantasy XI's systems might seem archaic by today's standards, but features like its job system were revolutionary at the time.
Final Fantasy XI Bred a Welcoming Community
An MMO simply can't succeed without a passionate community, and Final Fantasy XI deliberately tried to foster one since its creation. Final Fantasy XI is a punishing game, especially in its early days, and the complexities of the game can make it tough to jump into. Because of this, it was essential for players to band together, as it presented a better chance of success and survival before there was any kind of Trust system. It was an MMO that really fostered cooperation, and it showed.
Apart from that, Final Fantasy XI stuck true to the series' roots and doubled down on story and lore. It tried to make players feel like a part of a breathing world and succeeded in that for the most part. Final Fantasy XI still had all those iconic elements of Final Fantasy; Chocobos, Moogles, Black Mages, and a phenomenal soundtrack crafted by longtime composer Nobuo Uematsu. With these two main points, Final Fantasy XI fostered a tightknit community. The game has thousands of players still subscribe, nearly 40,000 a month according to the site MMO Population. If you head to the Final Fantasy XI subreddit there's still several posts every day, even if things have slowed down. It's a testament to how many players were invested in the game over the years.
Square Enix Continued to Update Final Fantasy XI
Strong design and a dedicated community can keep a game afloat for a while, but true longevity only comes when a developer continues to iterate upon what they created. Amazingly the game has received a new patch nearly every two months since its launch, with the latest version update hitting on March 10, 2020. Square Enix has been incredibly diligent about fixing problems, and providing incremental updates, even while it tried to launch another MMO, Final Fantasy XIV. On top of that, Final Fantasy XI received an expansion or major update every year or two years after its launch, until Rhapsodies of Vana'diel in 2015.
Each of these expansions added on a variety of content like new races, new jobs, new areas, and extra story content. This kept a constant stream of new content for fans to dive into, ensuring that the community had something to talk about and some new challenge or boss to beat. Final Fantasy XI had a strong enough user base that it stayed a consistent moneymaker for Square Enix, and in turn, they continued to update the game and bring new content. It'd led to an MMO that has continued to exist, even while Final Fantasy XIV became wildly successful. No doubt, there will continue to be a community until the game's last days.