Naoki Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, stated at the Paris Fan Festival 2025 that he is seriously considering a complete overhaul of the game. The reason is simple.
Modern players spend much less time on MMOs compared to twenty years ago. Previously, many could dedicate 10–20 hours a week to the game, now only 10–20 hours a month. Work, family, and household responsibilities make the classic model with long leveling and months of preparation for the endgame ineffective.
Yoshida notes that the new version should bring complete satisfaction even in short sessions of 30–60 minutes. The endgame should be reached faster, and grinding should be reduced to a minimum.
The latest expansion, Dawntrail, was a step forward, but the producer believes that the changes are happening too slowly. With a cycle of major updates every 2–3 years, it is easier to create a completely new game than to continue fixing the current one.
Despite the ambitious plans, Yoshida assured that the existing version of Final Fantasy XIV will be supported for many years, and the possible new edition will not lead to the closure of existing servers.
