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Final Fantasy XIV’s new PvP mode, Crystalline Conflict, has been incredibly popular, and it's quite easy to find a match in it at most hours of the day. However, players cannot talk to each other in-game and instead use the Quick Chat and Ping system. In a recent news post by producer Yoshi-P (Naoki Yoshida), he made his stance on player activity clear.
He’s glad everyone is enjoying the new PvP mode, but according to the producer, there’s been quite a bit of taunting and “uncooperative” behavior in the mode he wants to stop. PvP can already be a toxic wasteland, and the developer's request is reasonable as well as sensible.
Yoshida Naoki wants Final Fantasy XIV’s Crystalline Conflict to be less toxic
In Final Fantasy XIV, the PvP already has a fair amount of players that are uncooperative or unkind to each other, but it’s not as bad as in League of Legends or Overwatch. According to Yoshida, they have received a number of reports of negative behavior:
“However, we are receiving an unprecedented number of reports concerning uncooperative/lethargic or taunting behavior during matches. Thus I’d like to warn against such behaviors by reviewing the main types of prohibited behaviors.”
One of the things they were seeing a lot of are players that give up when they’re about to lose, being classified as “uncooperative/lethargic behavior.” The idea is that it’s supposed to be a contest of skill, and even when things are hopeless, it’s important for players to keep trying to be the best.
There’s also a great deal of taunting being done in Crystalline Conflict in Final Fantasy XIV. This particular mode doesn’t allow players to talk to each other outside of the Quick Chat system, but that hasn’t stopped players from being toxic.
Negative behavior prohibited in Crystalline Conflict:
- Repeatedly using the Quick Chat phrase "Nice job!" during a disadvantageous situation
- Repeatedly using the Quick Chat phrase "Good match!" before the outcome of the match has even been decided
- Excessively repeating a particular Quick Chat phrase
- Persistently placing a negative target marker on another ally player
- Using and repeating an emote on top of a downed opponent
- Setting off fireworks on top of a downed opponent
- Using Tell or other methods to directly harass/criticize a player outside of duty after a match has ended
- Slandering other players through means outside of the game, such as social media
The Quick Chat messages like “Nice job!” and “Good match!” are not seen by opponents. This is only used by players who are harassing their own team, and not the other players. It’s used in a sarcastic, rude way to taunt other members of someone’s team.
The Final Fantasy XIV producer pointed out that these behaviors are prohibited in-game, and logs are being investigated. Suspension of 3-20 days may hit players who are breaking these rules.
Is Naoki Yoshida’s decision the right one to make?
The developers want PvP to have heated conflicts but also want them to be friendly and not have players feel frustrated or upset about how people treat them in these modes. People being awful to each other in PvP does push people away, so they don’t want to continue queueing. PvP is popular in Final Fantasy XIV right now, and the developers want it to stay that way.
There’s no excuse for abusing other players in PvP, but what about friendly banter and light-hearted trash talk? Personally, this writer thinks those kinds of things are fine, but people often push it too far. Some players are far too quick to be toxic to each other in PvP.
It’s not unreasonable for the developers to want to have the new PvP mode toxicity free. Mocking a player for doing poorly or being beaten in PvP is unnecessary and always has been. Final Fantasy XIV’s community isn’t incredibly toxic as it is, but it’s not free of rude players.
Other PvP games tend to have a lot of trash talk and it feels like second nature in those games. While they aren’t going away anytime soon, that sort of toxic behavior doesn’t have a place in the FFXIV community.
Final Fantasy XIV has a pretty strict standard when it comes to player/community conduct, so it’s not a shock that the developers would like it to stay that way. The writer of this piece has been a part of the FFXIV community since the beginning and certainly agrees with the opinion.
Note: The article reflects the writer's personal views.
