The excitement surrounding the global launch of FF14 Mobile continues to build, particularly with recent developments from its Chinese version. According to developer Lightspeed Studio, a significant update has introduced trading restrictions that mandate a minimum spend in the free-to-play MMORPG before players can access vital features like the market board, player trades, and Free Company chests.
In reviewing what we’ve seen so far of Final Fantasy 14 Mobile, it’s clear that the game is designed to capture the essence of its predecessor. While it may not dethrone the desktop version of one of our favorite MMORPGs, the idea of adventuring through Eorzea on the go is undeniably appealing. The current Chinese launch version covers much of the base FF14 2.0 content, which includes the first raid, the Binding Coil of Bahamut, and the Labyrinth of the Ancients from the Crystal Tower alliance raid.
Notably, long-time FF14 content creator Michael Poveromo, known as ‘Mrhappy1227,’ has been actively discussing the mobile version’s launch. He shed light on a developer update shared via Bilibili and translated by the FF14 Mobile English community Discord. This update aims to combat ‘black market’ activities, a term typically associated with using bots to farm gil, other currencies, or items for transfer to other accounts.
The developer update states, “To address the impact of black market activities on the game’s economy, after the July 11 update, we will be disabling all trading functions (including the market board, face-to-face trading, and Free Company chest usage) for all players. These features will only be available to characters with a cumulative top-up of 30 yuan or more.” This means players must spend 30 yuan (approximately $4.18) before they can trade items, thus limiting potential exploitation.
This trading limitation is reminiscent of how the desktop version of FF14 operates. Although the desktop version allows for a free trial (up to level 70 without time restrictions), free-to-play users are also barred from trading features and cannot send friend requests or direct messages, though they can receive them.
This transition to stricter trading policies is part of Lightspeed’s broader initiative to address issues related to black market activities. Alongside the trading restrictions, Lightspeed is implementing changes to the in-game economy, including lowering the gil rewards obtained from completing main scenario quests. This adjustment intends to make it harder for players to create alternate accounts to quickly farm gil.
Moreover, the decision to increase daily rewards from the monthly subscription card by an additional 20,000 gil per day is noteworthy. Players who have been claiming this reward will receive compensation based on the number of days they’ve previously claimed it, ensuring they are not left behind with the update.
As we await further details on the global launch of FF14 Mobile, it remains to be seen whether these changes will also be adopted in other regions. For those eager to experience a taste of FF14 on the move right now, exploring options like the best gaming handheld can be a worthwhile endeavor. Additionally, for enthusiasts looking to stay updated, following our coverage for news, reviews, and guides across PC games is highly encouraged.
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