"State" of FFXIV leads to trial extension
"We humbly ask for your continued support."
Square Enix has extended the free trial of PC MMO Final Fantasy XIV because of "the current state of the game".
The month long extension of the free trial – available to all owners of the game – comes as the development team asks for players' "continued support".
The decision follows an outpouring of complaints and criticism from players on the fantasy role-playing MMO.
"Since the official launch of service on 30th September 2010, we have received a wealth of constructive feedback from the Final Fantasy XIV community," reads the game's official website.
"And the development and management teams would like to take this opportunity to express their sincerest gratitude. For those who purchased the collector's edition and began to play one week before official service began, the month-long free play period is drawing to a close.
"Considering the nature of much of the feedback we received, however, and the current state of the game, we have decided to extend the free trial period for all users."
"We would like to assure players that the world of Final Fantasy XIV is constantly growing and evolving, and the voices of the community are essential to that process.
"The development and management teams are carefully considering all player feedback, and working diligently to implement whatever changes and additions will serve to make Eorzea a better home for adventurers.
"We humbly ask for your continued support to this end."
Meanwhile, director Nobuaki Komoto outlined planned changes to the game, and promised an update once every three months.
"Nothing is more important to us than seeing to the prompt implementation of the various changes and features players desire to improve playing conditions," he wrote.
"A good deal of the constructive feedback we received was in regards to the market and retainer systems," Komoto said. "Several improvements will be brought to both of these features. Among these are a simplification of retainer access, which no longer requires use of the interactions menu, and specific reduced taxes in market wards which will serve to reorganize them by item types."
Komoto also promised user interface adjustments, party-based battle balancing and improvements to server lag.
Final Fantasy XIV is currently sitting on a 54 out of 100 Metacritic review score average.