Final Fantasy XIV could go free-to-play “if 80% or 90% of players demand”

Is Final Fantasy XIV free-to-play something that would interest you? Well, you're probably not alone, as director Naoki Yoshida from Square Enix mentioned the possibility. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry, Yoshida talks about the topic, but the odds aren't that favorable for those who want this MMORPG to go free-to-play. Here are his words:

“That being said, if 80% or 90% of our players are demanding we go free-to-play, then we might need to look at shifting our business model. But we would also need to change our game design to match that business model. It all depends on what the game design should be based on what our players' needs are.”

Before you start saving up disk space for an eventual free-to-play Final Fantasy XIV, there are a few things to factor into this. First and foremost, last August, FFXIV reached the impressive number of 10 million registered players – only a couple of millions away from the number Blizzard's World of Warcraft enjoyed during its peak. Secondly, the current player base is far from insignificant, and we have to consider the fact that Final Fantasy XIV is one of the few MMORPGs still operating that require players to play a monthly subscription. This translates into a safe revenue stream that supports further development. Yoshida also reveals that he wants to keep operating Final Fantasy XIV for ten years – the game has entered its fourth year, and this goal seems quite attainable to us.

Sooo… Final Fantasy XIV free-to-play sounds really unlikely to happen in the near future. Yoshida does mention the plan to extend the free trial (currently up to level 35) all the way up to level 50, when the next expansion releases. That's something, and unless there's a huge demand for Final Fantasy XIV to go free-to-play, that will be closer you'll get to playing this MMORPG for free.