The Business Model Of Final Fantasy XIV

Last Thursday MassivelyOP awarded Final Fantasy XIV the "Best MMO Business Model of 2023" award. I'm still not sure the staff isn't trolling us. While Creative Business Unit III's funding model is not nearly as egregious as that of Star Citizen, Diablo Immortal, or Black Desert Online, I wouldn't think FFXIV would beat out the likes of Guild Wars 2. So I decided to take a closer look at a game I've paid a subscription to for over 4 years.

First, Final Fantasy XIV is a buy-to-play, subscription game with a rather robust cash shop. That description alone is enough to chase potential players away. Players must either buy A Realm Reborn for $19.99 and then purchase the Endwalker expansion (which includes the Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers expansions) for $39.99. Or one can just purchase the Complete Edition of FINAL FANTASY XIV which includes the base game and all expansions for $59.99. Personally, I'd advise picking up the Complete Edition. Paying the extra penny is worth the hassle avoided.

The memes and copy/pastas across the Internet are true

Just buying A Realm Reborn is not necessary. I believe the option still exists for players who stopped playing during the original release of ARR and wish to try the game again after 8 years or so. The free trial includes the base game and first two expansions with no limit on playtime for those who wish to try the game first. The only caveat is that once an account is upgraded to either Entry or Standard, the account cannot be converted back to a trial account. I should also warn that players on free trial accounts cannot access the cash shop.

The subscription portion of Final Fantasy XIV's business model might receive a mixed reaction. I call the payment options "subscription à la carte". In most games, a subscription refers strictly to game time. A game may charge $14.99 per month, with reductions for subscribing for 3, 6, or 12 months at a time. In FFXIV, players have three paid services they can access, with options within two of them.

Game time prices - December 2023

FFXIV has two types of accounts, Entry and Standard. The difference between two types was much greater before April 2022. Up until then, Entry accounts had a maximum of one character allowed on a server. Now the maximum is 8, the same as on a Standard account which can have up to 40 characters. Entry accounts can only pay monthly, but they pay at the rate Standard accounts pay who purchase their game time in 6 month blocks. Given FFXIV is designed to only require one account, not a bad trade-off.

The second paid service, retainers, I think is the most controversial. Players receive two retainers for free after completing the level 17 quest "The Scions of the Seventh Dawn" and can rent an additional 7 retainers at $2/month. The main benefits of retainers are:

• Provide 175 bank slots as well as holding elemental shards/crystals/clusters used in crafting, and gil.
• Provide 20 slots to sell items on the market
• Procurement of items and materials via Ventures
• Procurement of additional gil via Ventures

I think many people are used to other games where any type of bank slot is a one-time purchase from the cash shop. For example, purchasing 180 item slots in Guild Wars 2, if I understand the gem to dollar conversion rate correctly, costs $36. So if one is only interested in retainers for inventory space, FFXIV pulls ahead of Guild Wars 2 revenue-wise after about 18 months.

How payment for retainers works

The retainer service I thought might prove a deal breaker for the folks at MassivelyOP when determining the Best MMO Business Model, and not just because of the inventory slot issue. Players adding additional retainers to their subscription can gain a considerable advantage over those who don't. For example, my additional 6 level 90 retainers earn me approximately 180,000 gil per week in addition to all the items they bring me. If any part of the FFXIV business model screams out pay-to-win, the retainer service is it.

The final subscription service does need mentioning. FFXIV has a companion app that is really good, even if someone over at Square Enix added an in-app currency. The app is free to use, but also has a premium subscription service. For an additional $5/month, players:

• Receive an extra retainer slot (making a maximum of 10 retainers)
• A second chocobo saddlebag (70 item slots)
• Obtain 2 Kupo nuts for each login
• Hold up to 10 Kupo nuts at any one time
• Organize chocobo saddlebags and retainer inventories via the app

I really don't need the ability to buy and sell lots of items via the companion app so I give this subscription a pass. For me, the premium service is a bit much.

As I mentioned before, the subscription service is an à la carte affair. Only plan having 8 characters or less? Go with the Entry plan and get the minimum price even subbing one month at a time. Like retainers? Pick the proper number of extra retainers for you. Don't use the companion app? Don't pay a fee. Basically, players can pay for the services they use. At least, players are given a greater choice than I'm used to.

Finally, we get to the cash shop. For many, a cash shop in a subscription based game disqualifies the game immediately. For me, a cash shop that doesn't try to confuse me by introducing a secondary currency is a plus.

Now, don't get me wrong. A lot of things, like level and expansion skips, are available in the cash shop. And yes, some items that give an advantage, like the initial speed of the SDS Fenrir at the beginning of an expansion, are available. But, on the whole the choices don't shout out "Pay to win!". Unless, of course, the idea is to win the glamour and night club game.

A typical complaint about cash shops is that the best looking gear in a game is reserved for the cash shop. Some of the best looking gear in FFXIV is indeed found in the cash shop. But a large percentage of gear originally was part of an in-game event, whether a seasonal event or a cross-over with another game. Or, in the case of the SDS Fenrir, a giveaway at a previous Fanfest. 

Creative Business Unit III is fond of patterns, and this one fits in with the cash shop and business model. The developers come up with a twist on each seasonal event every year. Each twist results in a fresh story and new items. The story typically isn't very long, but the items usually look pretty good. They should, as the event items disappear from the game for a year before appearing in the cash shop at the beginning of the next year's event. A pretty good incentive to make high quality items that first appear as rewards for gameplay, I think.

Of course, the best part of the cash shop is no cash shop currency. So, for example, if I want to purchase the Street Attire set, I can see right away it costs $22 and that if I really want the set, I need to wait for a sale. No purchasing a secondary currency and then making a mistake doing the conversion to dollars in my head. Also, no worrying about left over currency lying around trying to tempt me to buy a few dollars more to get something else. 

I know I skimped on some of the details, but that's a quick look at the business model of Final Fantasy XIV. I realize no business model is perfect, but I'll settle for one I don't mind exists. The buy to play the game is pretty standard for a subscription game. The subscription à la carte model appeals to me as I don't feel I'm paying for things I don't want or will never use. Finally, unlike games like Black Desert Online and Guild Wars 2, I never visited the cash shop looking for something I needed to have to play the game. I can just browse looking for bargains.