I’m really looking forward to Final Fantasy XIV coming to the Switch 2 on August 4, but as the date gets closer, it feels like the release is being rushed instead of thoughtfully planned. There are a few things that worry me, and I’m curious if anyone else feels this way.
1. Exactly where was the real stress test?
Yoshi said the first month after launch will be used as a server stability test, and anyone can play during that time without a subscription. Great, but the test is happening live on release day, with real players as the testers. There wasn’t a separate stress-test period before launch, even a short one, to let a smaller group find problems early and give the team time to fix them. Instead, testing and launching are happening at the same time. If the Switch 2 can’t handle the full FFXIV traffic, the first players will be the ones who have to deal with it.
2. Account and subscription details are still unclear.
We know that current subscribers get a 50% discount on the Switch 2 subscription. But there are still some things we don’t know:
--What would be the cost involved in transferring an existing account to a Switch 2 account?
--If you have a trial account that hasn't been converted on a different platform, will that trial carry over to Switch 2 or will you have to start again?
SE is requiring a separate subscription for the Switch 2, it’s even more important to explain this clearly. It would have been better to settle these questions from the start, instead of leaving players guessing right before launch.
3. The free month is not in fact a bonus for new players.
They are presenting the free first month as a generous offer. But for new players, it’s basically the same as the usual free trial that comes with a new account. This mixes up two things: a real stress test (which helps Square Enix) and a free trial (which should help new players). Using the same 30 days for both makes it feel like new players are helping test the servers instead of getting a true trial. If something goes wrong during the test, they’re the ones who lose out, since they don’t get a separate trial period after the devs know everything works.
What would’ve been better
It would have been better to have a short, dedicated stress test before launch, even just for a week or two, for anyone who wanted to join. After fixing any issues, they could then do a proper release with the usual 30-day free trial for new players, separate from the test. Instead, everything is combined into one event, and we get a live letter just days before launch to explain it all.
Granted, there’s a producer letter and live stream tomorrow, August 1, that might answer questions about account transfers and trials. That could clear things up.
Does anyone else feel concerned about this, or am I overthinking it?
Continue reading...
1. Exactly where was the real stress test?
Yoshi said the first month after launch will be used as a server stability test, and anyone can play during that time without a subscription. Great, but the test is happening live on release day, with real players as the testers. There wasn’t a separate stress-test period before launch, even a short one, to let a smaller group find problems early and give the team time to fix them. Instead, testing and launching are happening at the same time. If the Switch 2 can’t handle the full FFXIV traffic, the first players will be the ones who have to deal with it.
2. Account and subscription details are still unclear.
We know that current subscribers get a 50% discount on the Switch 2 subscription. But there are still some things we don’t know:
--What would be the cost involved in transferring an existing account to a Switch 2 account?
--If you have a trial account that hasn't been converted on a different platform, will that trial carry over to Switch 2 or will you have to start again?
SE is requiring a separate subscription for the Switch 2, it’s even more important to explain this clearly. It would have been better to settle these questions from the start, instead of leaving players guessing right before launch.
3. The free month is not in fact a bonus for new players.
They are presenting the free first month as a generous offer. But for new players, it’s basically the same as the usual free trial that comes with a new account. This mixes up two things: a real stress test (which helps Square Enix) and a free trial (which should help new players). Using the same 30 days for both makes it feel like new players are helping test the servers instead of getting a true trial. If something goes wrong during the test, they’re the ones who lose out, since they don’t get a separate trial period after the devs know everything works.
What would’ve been better
It would have been better to have a short, dedicated stress test before launch, even just for a week or two, for anyone who wanted to join. After fixing any issues, they could then do a proper release with the usual 30-day free trial for new players, separate from the test. Instead, everything is combined into one event, and we get a live letter just days before launch to explain it all.
Granted, there’s a producer letter and live stream tomorrow, August 1, that might answer questions about account transfers and trials. That could clear things up.
Does anyone else feel concerned about this, or am I overthinking it?
Continue reading...