Final Fantasy XIV is available for digital download via several websites, and following the relaunch of the game sometime in early 2013 the digital download version will be made available through the official website as well. 

In regards to the negitive reviews, it's true that the game in it's current state leaves a lot to be desisired, but you may or may not be aware that SE has invested a large budget into remaking the game, and it's nearing completion. The new version should be available in the first quarter of 2013.

Originally posted by Ausare
I would say for me if there is no free trial i probably would not pay upfront to try s reinagined failed game. Not sure if they are going to have one and beta trials are not the same.

When 2.0 comes out the game will be free to play for the first few month in order to attract new players :)

Originally posted by Sylvii
Hard for me to put it any better than what you summed up.  Still salty got suckered into $80.05 collector edition 9/22/10 after having fun beta testing.  deserving of the dismal 5.1 score anything under 7 in not worth your time.

And it's unfortunate you're going to carry that "saltiness" with you, especially as the game has been improving quite a lot since Yoshi took over.

I was bitter about it as well. Well, more in disbelief that they'd botched it so badly, really. I was quite vocal and quite harsh about it all.

But, I also kept checking back - esp. during the period of no sub fee. I saw it steadily improving. Today I can say it's a hell of a fun game (for my tastes anyway :). And I don't just mean "well, compared to how it was before". I mean, on its own merits. There's plenty to do. Great storylines, some very challenging or otherwise interesting content, a better variety of content, etc. You do not have to grind levequests non-stop anymore. There's plenty else to do instead. I've been playing XIV more now than any other MMO I've played since FFXI in its prime (aka pre-Abyssea).

Does it still have issues? Yep. Things that could be improved? You bet. Do the good things about it outweigh the issues it has? For me, absolutely. Thing is, most all of the issues we have now can be traced back to poor choices in the game design, the graphics engine, the network configuration, etc. All the things that have been re-done from scratch for 2.0.

It's a really counter-productive tendency MMO gamers have. Something negative happens with a MMO, and - for a number of people - it becomes frozen in that moment for all time. It's like people don't realize that games can improve and evolve and change and move on. You can give them a list of all that's changed, been improved or replaced since they played, and they just don't see it. You can show them the improvements and such in action, and they'll turn right around and say "Sorry, but that game was a total mess at launch. No way I'd play it again". There's simply no way of getting through that kind of stubbornness.

For XIV, a lot has changed since launch, and people are still making decisions and voicing opinions about the game based on how it was two years ago.  I guarantee - yes, guarantee - people will be doing the same for 2.0, which will be practically a brand-new game from top to bottom.

Unfortunately, for those who refuse to see XIV as anything but "what it was back at launch", nothing SE does or says or proves will make a difference. The present has little meaning for someone determined to dwell in the past.

1.) Make a REALLY BAD game
2.) Sell game
3.) People complain, stop buying game
4.) Apologize, change some UI elements
5.) Sell game again
6.) ???
7.) PROFIT

Originally posted by Keylogger

1.) Make a REALLY BAD game
2.) Sell game
3.) People complain, stop buying game
4.) Apologize, change some UI elements
5.) Sell game again
6.) ???
7.) PROFIT

They aren't just changing the UI. They've created an entire engine (cousin to Luminous) in order to remake the game. The combat has been changed greatly, the story completely rewritten to fit the new world, the entire maps have been remade to reflect this change as well (and to remove redundancy of certain areas), new mobs, new classes, etc.

Here is my question to those that play the game. After all the changes and fixes they have made to UI and controls and all that etc.

Can I set up the controls so they are exactly like the controls in ffxi?

If the answer is no then no I will not play it. I know many people hated those controls but after using them for 7+ years I like them and don't want to have to use different controls. Hate my reasoning all you want but people used the same reason not to play ffxi back in the day when they didn't have standard MMO controls so why can't I use that rationale now?

I personally think the biggest thing holding this game back is that people WANTED Final Fantasy 11: Part 2.

They wanted a game with similar classes, but an upgrade to combat, server-responsiveness (ala no 56k cap), graphical upgrades, new storylines, etc etc.

What they GOT was a corner-cutting, half-assed, nobody-asked-for-these-"upgrades" bastardization of their beloved franchise.

It's a problem you see more and more and more these days. Companies take a perfectly good game, and try to re-invent the wheel. What seems to always happen is that they make "changes" that the original fanbase hates, in turn, alienating those players. But then the new features don't appeal to new players either, because they attribute a certain playstyle with that game genre.

I think it's a problem you can see more and more with AAA titles.

FFXI -> FFXIV

Diablo 2 -> Diablo 3

Planetside -> Planetside 2

Dragon Age -> Dragon Age 2

When you mix these horrid changes (like the leve system; the single worst idea in MMO history) with terrible coding/a bad development team, the hands-down worst release in the history of MMORPG's, and then have to publicly apologize for just how bad your game is.... well, that'll keep a LOT of folks from even going near your game, no matter how many times you re-vamp it.

Originally posted by imlazyxd
I really hate how I have to add my Credit Card to just play the 30 days that comes with the game...

thats any mmos at release i think

Originally posted by JeroKane
I sincerly hope that the people that already paid for the 1.0 don't have to buy 2.0 again? But instead can just continue to play when 2.0 launches.

i know we get are 30 days back free

Originally posted by Cymdai

I personally think the biggest thing holding this game back is that people WANTED Final Fantasy 11: Part 2.

They wanted a game with similar classes, but an upgrade to combat, server-responsiveness (ala no 56k cap), graphical upgrades, new storylines, etc etc.

What they GOT was a corner-cutting, half-assed, nobody-asked-for-these-"upgrades" bastardization of their beloved franchise.

It's a problem you see more and more and more these days. Companies take a perfectly good game, and try to re-invent the wheel. What seems to always happen is that they make "changes" that the original fanbase hates, in turn, alienating those players. But then the new features don't appeal to new players either, because they attribute a certain playstyle with that game genre.

I think it's a problem you can see more and more with AAA titles.

FFXI -> FFXIV

Diablo 2 -> Diablo 3

Planetside -> Planetside 2

Dragon Age -> Dragon Age 2

When you mix these horrid changes (like the leve system; the single worst idea in MMO history) with terrible coding/a bad development team, the hands-down worst release in the history of MMORPG's, and then have to publicly apologize for just how bad your game is.... well, that'll keep a LOT of folks from even going near your game, no matter how many times you re-vamp it.

ffxvi rrb is tech a new game

Originally posted by JeroKane
I sincerly hope that the people that already paid for the 1.0 don't have to buy 2.0 again? But instead can just continue to play when 2.0 launches.

Anyone who bought the original game gets the new client and everything for free, as well as 30 days free, as if they'd just bought the game new.

There will also be a free trial period for anyone who purchased the game before, but perhaps left (for obvious reasons), as well as a general free trial for everyone to participate in if they wish.

Originally posted by Ramonski7
I never EVER thought the day would come where gamers would whine about having to buy a physical copy of something they supposedly WANT to play... just wow

I've not bought a physical copy of a game in about 2 years now. Why would I?

Originally posted by Fadedbomb

Other than a horrible launch, and lackluster gameplay. The largest Issue I see offhand is that FF XIV has no DIGITAL sales of the game. You physically have to own the box.

 

This is something that would be fine back in 2005, but this is 2012 (almost 2013), and SquareEnix are still behind the times when it comes to digital sales of their MMOs.

 

Do a search, and you'll only find gold seller sites, or Amazon.com selling the boxes. I can't find a SINGLE place to purchase a digital copy. So far, this is the only MMO I've come across that requires the box, and provides zero alternative ways to aquire the game.

 

I almost feel, that at times, SquareEnix is trying to act like FF XIV never happened.

 

Even "A Realm Reborn" preorder is box only, and Amazon.com is selling that for only $30 hehe!

Although your question/statment has been answered or rebutted, I'm the type who would never buy a digital version of anything, I have some morallity issue with prices when it comes to digital vs physical. Cutting off my nose to spite my face?  to right I am.

Originally posted by Ramonski7
I never EVER thought the day would come where gamers would whine about having to buy a physical copy of something they supposedly WANT to play... just wow

Why not? I whine every time some thumb-fingered salesman wants physical hardcopy.  Or some company from the 70s wants a fax number.

The world moves on with or without us.

Originally posted by Ramonski7
I never EVER thought the day would come where gamers would whine about having to buy a physical copy of something they supposedly WANT to play... just wow

I freakn love the unboxing of a long awaited game!!!  It's sad to see those days dying..