Hello everyone,
I'd like to raise a topic that's becoming increasingly important as PC hardware and graphics APIs continue to evolve: the long-term value of adding native Vulkan support to FFXIV's engine.
Recently, I contacted AMD regarding severe performance inconsistencies on newer Radeon hardware (in my case, an RX 9070 XT). Their reply highlighted a broader issue with FFXIV's current rendering backend. Here is the relevant portion of their response:
Code:
This lines up with what many players across AMD, Intel Arc, and even some Nvidia systems have been reporting: DX11 is becoming a bottleneck, and vendor-specific frameworks are aging out of active support.
Why Vulkan Makes Sense for FFXIV's Long-Term Health
1. Vulkan supports both new and old GPUs
Vulkan is one of the few modern APIs that:
2. DX11 is being phased out industry-wide
DX11 is now a legacy API. Hardware vendors are:
3. Nvidia's shift toward AI makes reliance on Nvidia-specific frameworks risky
This isn't a criticism, it's just the reality of Nvidia's business direction. Their engineering focus is increasingly centered on:
4. Other major long-running games are already transitioning, including Star Citizen
A relevant industry example: Star Citizen has begun fully rolling out Vulkan and is actively phasing out DirectX support. Regardless of anyone's opinion of that game, the technical direction is clear:
5. Vulkan provides a stable, vendor-neutral foundation
Vulkan is maintained by the Khronos Group, not a single GPU vendor. This means:
6. Better CPU utilization for large-scale content
FFXIV's biggest performance drops happen in:
7. Future-proofing the engine
If FFXIV is expected to continue growing, and the developers have repeatedly said they intend to support it long-term, then investing in a modern rendering backend is not just beneficial, it's strategic.
The alternative is waiting until the industry forces the change, at which point the transition becomes harder, more expensive, and more disruptive.
A Vulkan backend wouldn't require a graphical overhaul. It would simply modernize the foundation so the game can:
I'm sharing this not as a complaint, but as a genuine request for the developers to consider Vulkan as a long-term investment. DX11 is being phased out, Nvidia's focus is shifting, and other major titles are already transitioning to modern APIs. Vulkan offers a stable, cross-platform, future-proof solution that benefits every player regardless of hardware.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this can spark a constructive discussion about the engine's long-term direction.
Continue reading...
I'd like to raise a topic that's becoming increasingly important as PC hardware and graphics APIs continue to evolve: the long-term value of adding native Vulkan support to FFXIV's engine.
Recently, I contacted AMD regarding severe performance inconsistencies on newer Radeon hardware (in my case, an RX 9070 XT). Their reply highlighted a broader issue with FFXIV's current rendering backend. Here is the relevant portion of their response:
Code:
Code:
“Older games can sometimes have compatibility issues with newer hardware due to several factors such as APIs, operating systems, and compatible drivers.
If this is the only game you're facing performance issues with, we recommend reaching out to the game's developers, as this is more related to game optimization.
Since Final Fantasy 14 still uses DX11 and certain Nvidia technologies, the developers may need to make adjustments to improve compatibility with modern hardware.”This lines up with what many players across AMD, Intel Arc, and even some Nvidia systems have been reporting: DX11 is becoming a bottleneck, and vendor-specific frameworks are aging out of active support.
Why Vulkan Makes Sense for FFXIV's Long-Term Health
1. Vulkan supports both new and old GPUs
Vulkan is one of the few modern APIs that:
- Runs on modern GPUs from all vendors
- Still supports older GPUs that receive driver updates
- Performs well on integrated graphics
- Works across mobile, console-adjacent, and desktop architectures
2. DX11 is being phased out industry-wide
DX11 is now a legacy API. Hardware vendors are:
- Reducing optimization work for DX11
- Prioritizing low-level APIs (Vulkan, DX12, Metal)
- Shifting engineering resources away from older driver paths
3. Nvidia's shift toward AI makes reliance on Nvidia-specific frameworks risky
This isn't a criticism, it's just the reality of Nvidia's business direction. Their engineering focus is increasingly centered on:
- AI acceleration
- Data center hardware
- CUDA and compute workloads
Gaming is still supported, but it is no longer the primary driver of their R&D. As a result: - Legacy gaming frameworks receive fewer updates
- DX11-specific optimizations are no longer a priority
- Vendor-specific extensions become harder to rely on long-term
4. Other major long-running games are already transitioning, including Star Citizen
A relevant industry example: Star Citizen has begun fully rolling out Vulkan and is actively phasing out DirectX support. Regardless of anyone's opinion of that game, the technical direction is clear:
- Vulkan offers better long-term maintainability
- It reduces reliance on aging APIs
- It ensures consistent performance across vendors
- It aligns with where GPU manufacturers are investing their engineering resources
5. Vulkan provides a stable, vendor-neutral foundation
Vulkan is maintained by the Khronos Group, not a single GPU vendor. This means:
- No reliance on proprietary tech
- Equal support across AMD, Nvidia, Intel, and future vendors
- Predictable long-term maintenance
- A unified rendering backend across platforms
6. Better CPU utilization for large-scale content
FFXIV's biggest performance drops happen in:
- Alliance raids
- Hunt trains
- Large FATEs
- World bosses
- Dense city hubs
- Island Sanctuary automation scenes
7. Future-proofing the engine
If FFXIV is expected to continue growing, and the developers have repeatedly said they intend to support it long-term, then investing in a modern rendering backend is not just beneficial, it's strategic.
The alternative is waiting until the industry forces the change, at which point the transition becomes harder, more expensive, and more disruptive.
A Vulkan backend wouldn't require a graphical overhaul. It would simply modernize the foundation so the game can:
- Run more efficiently
- Scale with future hardware
- Avoid compatibility issues like the ones AMD highlighted
- Reduce reliance on aging vendor-specific tech
- Maintain consistent performance across all GPU vendors
I'm sharing this not as a complaint, but as a genuine request for the developers to consider Vulkan as a long-term investment. DX11 is being phased out, Nvidia's focus is shifting, and other major titles are already transitioning to modern APIs. Vulkan offers a stable, cross-platform, future-proof solution that benefits every player regardless of hardware.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this can spark a constructive discussion about the engine's long-term direction.
Continue reading...