For the strangest reason, players have been banned from playing the MMORPG that recently appeared on Microsoft’s consoles, because it wasn’t a racial slur that was used (if it had been, the issue wouldn’t be in the news).
Final Fantasy XIV has long been available on PlayStation platforms and PC, but the MMORPG hasn’t been on Xbox until now. Square Enix and Microsoft recently rectified that by making the game available on the Xbox line of consoles, and the port was announced at last year’s Las Vegas Fan Fest. The Xbox client is a bit different from the PlayStation and PC versions. First, you need an Xbox Game Pass subscription, and second, you need to pay for the MMO itself. The slight exception is that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can get Final Fantasy XIV: Starter Edition until April 19th, which gives them thirty days of play time and three add-ons (A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood).
On Reddit, TGB_B20kEn wrote about being banned by Xbox for using a phrase from Final Fantasy XIV. Two months ban for writing: “free company”. This terminology was then mistakenly flagged by Microsoft services as an advertisement. The user then filed an appeal, which was rejected by the Redmond company. One commenter wrote that he could contact a moderator and see what could be done about the matter.
The term “free company” could also be interpreted as a request to make a company free, but in the context of Final Fantasy XIV, that is not what it means: a free company is a player-run guild that provides access to shared chat and housing, for example, and can give new players the opportunity to make friends with other players. Buffs can also be used to level up certain jobs faster. For this reason, it should not be considered an offer.
The user has been banned from Microsoft services, not the game.
this is an xbox account ban, which means SE can't do anything but ask microsoft to do something
— Jason (@envinyon) March 30, 2024
