Square Enix cracks down on Final Fantasy 14 mods, as director promises to enhance HUD
Dragonsong's Reprise raid completed by team using mods.
Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida has said third-party tools are not to be used with the MMORPG.
Square Enix released a full statement yesterday, noting "the use of third-party tools is strictly prohibited". However, the team intends to "review the most prominent tools, and in order to discourage their use, endeavour to enhance the functionality of the HUD".
The news follows the completion of the notoriously difficult Dragonsong's Reprise raid added in the latest patch. Team Neverland was the first to complete the raid and Square Enix shared a video of the win, before swiftly taking it down due to a copyright request.
However, Neverland's video showed them using third-party tools, something Square Enix does not wish to promote.
"Players who are determined to be using third-party tools will have their accounts suspended, or permanently banned for repeat offenses," reads Yoshida's statement.
"It goes without saying that we're aware of world races for high-end duties. As the developers, we're proud to have grown into one of the few games where they're held, and it delights us to see so many players participate as well as spectate with great interest.
"But a race should be fair, and it's our earnest wish that participants don't use third-party tools. Indeed, we've only released duties that we have proven can be beaten with the game's standard features."
He continues: "Because such races are unofficial, we usually limit our involvement to some comments after a number of teams have cleared the duty. By offering our congratulations via the official Twitter account and confirming time stamps, we want to recognize your achievements and contribute to community excitement.
"However, if our recognition encourages excessive competition and controversy to the extent that players resort to third-party tools, I regret to say we may have to reconsider making comments in the future."