Final Fantasy 14 Ban Wave Hits Real Money Trading and 'Illicit Activities'
The world of Hydaelyn within Final Fantasy 14 is home to an estimated 24 million players, exploring the rich storyline of Square Enix's late-blooming MMO. As Square Enix continues to reveal upcoming patches and content for players to dive into, expanding further on a dramatic and compelling storyline, a seedier side to the world continues to be a thorn in the developer's side.
Real-money trading (colloquially RMT) has reared its head in Final Fantasy 14, artificially inflating economies and making tasks more difficult for actual players versus scripted bots. RMT is an aspect that nearly every MMO must contend with, compelled by the amount of time that MMOs demand from their players to progress at a steady cadence, and it's a service well-known for trying to dodge detection. The service tends to be provided with the usage of bot scripting, the task of automating behavior to allow multiple bots to be run from a sole computer with the intent of gaining as much money as possible to be sold.
Square Enix recently announced another crackdown and ban wave in Final Fantasy 14, resulting in a reported 5,037 terminated accounts that were participating in RMT and other prohibited activities. Square Enix also reports that 814 accounts were terminated that were advertising RMT. A brief closing statement has Square Enix encouraging players to continue to report all accounts found to take part in RMT, assuring fans that it will continue to take action.
Upon logging in today, two days after the ban wave hit, the issue is seemingly far less pervasive than it has been previously. The issue hasn't dried up entirely; much as with other MMOs such as World of Warcraft, as long as there is money to be made the issue will persist. The issue is one that has persisted for well over a decade, as developers can only strike accounts that are confirmed as RMT while the bot scripts can be almost instantly transferred into a new account. The entire process, from logging into a brand-new account to leveling and setting up in a preferred zone, can be automated with legacy controls.
The actions of Square Enix have offered a temporary respite for players, however. The RMT accounts will inevitably be back, upending and inflating economies while offering an additional resource for players that aren't keen on grinding currency. A long-term solution still doesn't seem viable for MMOs struggling with RMT issues, so perhaps a brief reprieve is the best players should expect.
Final Fantasy 14 is currently available on PC and PS4, with PS5 support coming later in 2021.
Source: FF14 Lodestone
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