The Curious Case of Final Fantasy XI Remake

As someone who has been following the developments of the reboot/remake of Final Fantasy XI for almost 10 years now, I thought I would share my thoughts on a potential remake in the future and how I believe it will happen.
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#finalfantasy #ff11 #ffxi

[@wilddragonchase]

really didnt expect the comments on this video to blow up like this! its clearly a divisive topic, with different views on how best to handle FFXI's legacy, but from what i see there is an overwhelming love for FFXI! keep the comments coming 😃

[@Silvercoat]

"FFXI: A Realm Restored" one day please.

[@zedorian6547]

Yeah but they might want to workshop the title a bit lol

[@TheOniklaz]

Give it like 5-10 years, they might make another mmo

[@Thatguy101987]

As long as they don't throw a moon at Vana'diel to remake it.

[@1989red13bfc]

One of the best party based co-op mmos of all time. Super challenging and rewarding

[@Direwoof]

absolutely BRUTAL game but feels so rewarding to get like a SINGLE gear piece.

[@d.a.v.e.3.3.]

The MMO in my opinion. Challenging, Satisfying, non-instanced for the most part, multi-language, building a party was half the fun, the sound fx and party mechanics were amazing, making something like world of warcraft look like a kids game by comparison. FFXI to me was hardcore. I played every job to 75 when that was the cap as it made it easier to build parties. Bard was my favorite job. My favorite game of all time.

[@BargodeProductions]

Xi's bard is sooo cool. I mained it too.

[@grantbishop1961]

You got everything job to 75? Well done, that was no easy achievement back in early 2000's. It took me 6 months to get black mage to 75 back in 2006. I loved mana burn parties on skeles in King Ranperres Tomb. I currently have all jobs to lv99 and MR max and JP 2100. It's a great game, way better than any other MMO. Wow sucks compare to it.

[@wb8ert]

My son (Ramrat) and I (IBHalliwell) have played FFXI since the PS2 NA release in March 2004. We saw an advertisement on TV and went OH! WOW! When I could, I went to Best Buy and purchased the game (40 GB HD) network adapter, keyboard, and mouse. I signed in, creating a POL account and two characters. We took turns playing the game, but we wanted to play together. It was back to Best Buy and a purchase of a Sony PS2, game, network adapter, keyboard, and mouse. We now have three POL accounts, 3 SE accounts, and 42 characters. We would love for SE to release a 64-bit Windows with 4K or 8K graphics. I'd even repurchase FFXI and all the expansions at a higher price and pay a higher monthly fee. I hope SE will keep the existing client for a while so those with smaller systems can still play the game. The new version could be named: Final Fantasy XI 4K (FFXI4K).

[@wilddragonchase]

its so cool that you did this with your son. i think that SE should keep existing client as long as possible too. theres just so many memories that have been made there over the past 20+ years

[@mikeduff2070]

it released on pc, a whole year and half befor ps2

[@wb8ert]

@@mikeduff2070 It was the ad on TV that caught our eyes. SE should update FFXI to 4K and then do another ad campaign.

[@COREcasual]

I can't go through that addiction again... I'm still having withdrawals from ffxi lol

[@Caelest]

I played FFXI religiously for over 15 years, i truly believe its the best MMO ever, whether you liked the 75 cap era or what the game is today, but Playonline viewer is the reason it deserves a modern remake, it has to be one of the worst launchers ever. Even if knowing that if it ever got announced it would take probably 3~5 years for it to get released, i would get more hyped than the day i found out FF7 was getting a remake. A legendary, pioneer of a genre-changing classic deserves it.

[@shukuffxi]

Sure, PlayOnline is what it is. On the other hand, the nostalgia bomb of hearing that update music when you log back in the first time. FFXI is the best MMORPG. I've never found one that even comes close to competing. XIV has great story and better graphics but as a game, it's still XI. I got rather psyched when I saw Dawntrail had item coffers named "Ra'Kaznar" and they're kind of associated with an area with a lot of purple ;) I dabble in XIV. I use it to kill time late at night mostly, expansion story, then maybe around the updates. A proper remade XI would eat up huge, huge, huge chunks of my time.

[@mikeduff2070]

i honestly thought ffxi was poorly designed. i remember playing with lvl 60 characters during the first era when that was cap and seeing they took long time to beat low lvl enimies thinking it was quite sad. The death knight quest where you had to go around beating enimies with a sword that only did 1 dmg till you beat 1000 enimies or something like that was prob that saddest thing a mmo could ever pull on player base. the actual story quests were kinda cool but there was so few of them and just grinding through the game was one of the things i never liked about earlier mmo.

[@shukuffxi]

@@mikeduff2070 Nah, that was awesome. It wasn't designed for solo basically at all (some exceptions, not design for but that worked around the design) past Lv.10 - and anything under Lv.10 you can kill in about a minute, solo. The Dark Knight unlock required killing 100 enemies with a specific weapon - it took like 1 hour, 2 hours if you were lazy, even at low levels. The early game was pretty lacking, at 60 cap. You had the Zilart storyline. The moment the cap was raised it really took off, story wise. That said: FFXI was a game without a rotation. You had so many options, and even more options that worked in specific niche cases. Your strategy could be different, the gear hunting was amazingly well done outside of the most extremely rare items. The story got better and better as it aged and people really had to know their job to get the best out of it. And there was actual variety in the jobs, as in: all DPS didn't do relatively the same damage, they weren't interchangeable. There is so much to like about that game it's impossible to stop. No game since has compared.

[@Robbinsffxi]

A FFXI port to the FFXIV engine would make a ton of sense for updated graphics. Both games could exist on shared infrastructure to reduce cost and increase performance, as FFXI servers are very slow and old.

[@grantbishop1961]

It's so old Square Enix don't have original build files for the base game it got lost or deleted. They only have the modern version saved which was just prior to item level but max cap was lv99. Technically they could do it but they don't want to and the programmers and engineers are not up for the task to re-write the backbone infrastructure for the new game engine and system. I personally have my own private server I play on and customized to make my own version of Vana'diel and Its very fun, I'm my own Gamemaster as well 😂

[@Blink.M2Dev]

You can’t port a game from one engine to another. It needs to be remade completely. They wouldn’t even accept each others assets or compile code the same way. Also the engine that created XIV is not good. You have no idea how rigged it is just to work, it took them how long to update a simple shader and add more lighting? Why? Because the engine couldn’t do it already. They use their own custom engine which still has the foundational burst compiling from 1.0 you really don’t want the XIV engine used for anything other than XIV. And even then it’s a wire nest of code.

[@Null_Experis]

@@Blink.M2Dev bruh. FF14 already has TONS of FF11 assets in it. The most recent expansion, Dawntrail, which released like 5 days ago is filled with Mamoolja you'd see in Treasures of Aht Urgan. The moon in FF14 has the empty from Chains of Promathis as basic enemies. Absolute Virtue is even in the game. They have like 70% of the assets ready-made.

[@shinon748]

​@@Null_Experisthey also added the lizard model used for stuff like Leaping Lizzy in Dawntrail

[@jackblack7797]

A mobile version woulda been a$$

[@HazukiHedgehog]

i cant even play with a gamepad, xi is alot of typing commands and binds.

[@wilddragonchase]

as much as i wanted *any* remake to happen, i think we dodged the bullet with that one 😆

[@Shawnithan]

Yep it would have been great.

[@HMNNO]

I'll play it for the story

[@zambrogue136]

Depends. Is it action based like Genshi? If so, it would be more appealing than current XI. The combat of XI is a niche taste; and what I believe is holding the game back from modern audiences.

[@HazukiHedgehog]

the only way to scratch the itch is to go back and play again. still nothing like it

[@HazukiHedgehog]

though i'm one of the stubborn that wont play 14 since trying it early and being disappointed. i played realm reborn but before any dlc and level 50 level cap.

[@wilddragonchase]

yup. thats why i still play it too

[@aaronclay4665]

@@HazukiHedgehog you should play 14 it’s great, but ff11 is still the best mmo ever

[@grantbishop1961]

​@@HazukiHedgehogFFXI still beats FFXIV, I got the FFXIV collectors edition prior to realm reborn and it was alright then after they remade it, it was even worse. 😂 Now I play on my own private FFXI server and love it.

[@-Chalice]

Best title in the series and best MMO that's ever been!

[@mikenash5125]

It was my Favorite MMO of all time. I love 14 but it will never be as good as good as 11. Yes, please remake 11. I told myself that I will return to FFXI when it becomes a remake. FFXI 2003-2007

[@Taikomo]

I wouldn't take any of the things you mentioned as any kind of decisive evidence, but it's certainly possible. I personally gave up hope after the mobile remake was cancelled, but anything's possible, though I do think that an offline remake in the vein of Dragon Quest X Offline is more probable in the sense of preserving XI's place in the mainline series. But then again FFXIV's biggest competitor WoW has proven how different versions of the same game can support each other, so why not two different online Final Fantasys? And if they were to remake XI they might as well remake everything from the bottom up starting from the account system, so we could finally get combined subscriptions for both games.

[@OsakaMotorcycleTours]

The main draw for me to this game was how incredibly CHALLENGING it was. During the 75 era, everything felt like an accomplishment. There was always something to work towards. The game was challenging for many reasons... experience parties were difficult find, so the players with the most initiative would constantly be using /sea all etc. FFXI forced teamwork and coordination. Jobs weren't just cookie cutters like in most games now, where they all feel roughly the same with some kind of damage abilities and healing abilities. Samurai made you feel like a samurai, linking skill chains and playing a key role. Thief was the treasure hunter/SATA. White Mage kept the group alive and Black Mage dropped bombs. Everyone had a clear role and felt their value. Those were the golden years of MMOs for me. I was about 14 when the game was released and will never forget how incredible it was.

[@gregcale5388]

Talking about BLM dropping bombs makes me think of the freeze magic burst days. It was so sweet when an exp pt could actually make it work, 3/4 HP gone from an IT+. Good times!

[@OsakaMotorcycleTours]

@@gregcale5388 Ancient magic spells at around level 47-50ish I think right? It was great times.

[@gregcale5388]

@@OsakaMotorcycleTours Yeah, they started in the 50s. I think it was a 18 second cast time, so the BLM actually had to start before the skillchain started. It took a cool amount of coordination.

[@user-jj7kr9sk3d]

I've said for years that they should do an offline version where you can fill your party with Trusts from the get-go, or play online co-op with friends. Release it as the base game and have all the content from updates and expansions unlock as you progress.

[@grantbishop1961]

I'd pay $100 usd just for the base game and $50 for each DLC and Expansion. They need to work on global advertising for it as well.

[@felldoh9271]

I’ve thought the same. The servers will shut down eventually and the best game ever made needs to be officially preserved.

[@Frankthetank302]

They have jt it's called ff11

[@irvyne6111]

100% this. When it inevitably comes to the point where the servers shut down, I would LOVE to see an offline remake. Streamline everything, including quests, combat and exploration, so there's not as much "empty space" in the game, but keep the core the same. It would be amazing.

[@tinkachu8743]

It feels so nostalgic seeing the opening cinematic!! I used to love that game as a kid even though it was super boring lol. I loved having my own character and fighting monsters with my party, but I hated having to stand around for hours hoping to join a party.

[@Malacite]

Agreed on all points, I just want to add that Yoshida has gone on record saying he understands how important the game is to its fans, and that he is dedicated to preserving it so that it will always be accessible. It's also one of only 2 mainline entries that currently cannot be played on PS4/5 (the other being 13). God please let it happen. Also not technically spoilers but Dawn Trail references 11 with a new metal material for crafting gear named after Ra'Kaznar - the final area of Seekers of Adoulin (on top of the story and setting making numerous allusions to both Seekers and Aht Urghan)

[@nightstrider15]

FFXI walked so FFXIV could trip and fall, then get up and run 😂

[@hotdogs8170]

I would love a traditional remake of FF 11 and 14 that just covers the main story for those of us that don't like and don't have time to play an MMORPG.

[@picantepollo6238]

As much as XI was a huge part of my life, yeah this is the only way a remake of it should be done. No way can I play an MMO nowadays but I’d happily play a traditional single player vision of it.

[@maegamisama]

I don't doubt SE wants to revisit FF11, given the wealth of content there, but I'm skeptical on the idea that it would come back as it's own MMORPG again. Personally I would expect some kind of offline version or some kind of extension of FF14. Though I'd still welcome anything at this point considering how much I loved FFXI

[@Tinyflower1]

making an entire expansion set in the world of 11 or even several wouldn't be too hard considering visiting other dimensions is already a thing in 14 now

[@AwsmNix]

I would FREAK out. 11 is the only game I’ve never been able to play, and it kills me not being able to

[@aortenzio]

Try horizonxi it’s free and amazing

[@brucemckinlay9739]

I doubt there will ever be a remake but it'd certainly be something that I'd play day 1. I've played FFXI off and on for 20 years now. God this game is addicting. Actual crack addiction would have been easier to kick. I'm more interested in the private server scene these days though. Retail FFXI, while still fun, just has changed so much compared to the games 75 cap golden era.

[@EricN73158]

omg Id love a FF11 remake, I played it for a lil bit back in the day when it came out but I did not get into it back then. I replayed it later on. I think in 2019/20 and had a lot of fun getting into the game. I can see why players dont really want to look into playing it because it is old and really clunky. It is hard to control but it really is a good game.

[@nibu8743]

FFXI is still my favorite mmo! Such s wonderful experience. I would love to see a remake & know I'm not the only one.

[@GENOSANDIEGO]

Do I want an FF11 Remake? Holy fuck yes! But man, it is so hard for me to get into it. Graphics, I don't mind too much, but the UI feels a little too inaccessible for me, ane I don't have the patience to look at a 2nd monitor to look at a wiki to figure out what to do. From everything I've heard though, the lore and story is great though, not to mention music (I mean what Final Fantasy has bad music anyway), so if a remake makes it more accessible at a reasonable price, maybe a discount if you are already subscribed to FFXIV too, then it wouls be great!

[@Scege]

I don't know if they'd ever actually remake 11 but I yearn for the style of games like that. PSOBB and the OG Ragnarok Online are my favorite mmos of all time and even after years pass I always go back and revisit them. There's just something so fascinating about games like FFXI in which they put together all these strange concepts in what feels like what they imagined at the time would be the future of videogames. It creates such a unique feeling and visual experience that not a single game in the past 20 years has ever considered visiting.

[@RicardoHernandez-ih1fp]

Best game ever!!!!!! This game took me through all my teen years!!!

[@simplus1980]

I'm interested, as long as it isn't made free to play.

[@javierdominguez1616]

We NEEED this!😭

[@TheInterplanetary]

I would say that although I have big love for FFXI, I don’t see them taking away subs and marketing from FFXIV. To be fair, XIV is my favorite in the series but I actually like how XI functions better because I’m an early 2000’s MMO gamer. It would be fantastic to have a well balanced, modern version of what that time period offered us in terms of strategy, community , difficulty , investment, and overall freedom/adventure and I have yet to see anyone do that.

[@zedorian6547]

Im so glad you didnt say they should just remake FFXI as a single player game.

[@alexfpower]

horizonxi is basically what you said. Of course if SE would have an official version of ffxi classic that'd be best.

[@ce-xiv1334]

Great Vid! As a XI player since 2004, Man I would drool over a remake! I wouldn't go back to the life draining grind. But the memories would draw me in!

[@Phostings1]

Wow, I wasn't expecting to see as many comments as I thought. Well here's my take. I don't mind the remake. However, this game needs to be for us vets who dreamt of seeing this. FFXIV was supposed to be a continuation of FFXI, and I stand by that.

[@zedorian6547]

“The game needs to be for us vets”…..okay so you want the game to be right back on life support within a year? I didn’t realize that FFXI and games of its like are doing so well right now that they can afford to not implement features that would attract a fresh crowd. Now I fully get that you probably didnt mean it exactly as you said it, but honestly if the game came back out and it needed all the macros and junk that XI already has then I doubt it would retain 20% of the playerbase that FFXIV has. It definitely would need a way to make getting into a party more effective than sitting in San Doria yelling “35War/16Nin LFG etc etc” for an hour and a half when the player really only has like maybe an hour and a half at most to play on a Wednesday due to a combination of work and family. Then again the same “vets” would just say that that player should go play something else instead because FFXI is for them and their sweaty beards. No. FFXI should be remade yes but not specifically for the “vets who dreamt of seeing this”.

[@Phostings1]

@@zedorian6547 Your opinion. Save it.

[@scottm2998]

​@@zedorian6547 Shut up, dork. I agree with you, @phostings1

[@Edowin-jz2sj]

I'm getting nostalgic just remembering when I starting playing FFXI, going through the PlayOnline portal and then running around Bastok trying to figure everything out. I would love some sort of remake, even if they made it a solo/offline game, just to play through for the story and music, but I think a lot of new players would have a very difficult time getting into it.

[@wilddragonchase]

the sense of adventure was so real. it probably wouldnt be the same no matter how they remake it but i'd love if more could experience it

[@ImmortalDraylo]

I would die of happiness

[@wilddragonchase]

if you die who's gonna solo everything on BLU 😨

[@jayem12]

I wish you're right.

[@GarretDejiko]

I wish they'd remake XI in a single player format, keeping the core story unchanged while using a modernized version of XII's combat system.

[@felldoh9271]

I like the way you think

[@zedorian6547]

Just play with the trusts that are offered in game and there you go. You have your coveted FFXI single player game and the rest of the players who actually like the game as an mmo can keep playing the game as an mmo

[@GarretDejiko]

@@zedorian6547 I played XI for a month quit like 2 months ago and the sole thought of going through the PlayOnline login process is keeping me away. They could at lead streamline that. The installation is so convoluted on its own, it's crazy how even private servers got it right before Square Enix

[@takerweapon1]

I wouldn't mind if the game is remade but take some cues from Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Dragon's Dogma, and Greedfall when trying to bring it back to modern consoles.

[@ADistantImage]

I do not want a remake, but a remaster would be fine. They need to port it to a modern engine & bring it back to consoles.

[@shperax]

Getting people subbed to 2 of their games would be a smart move.

[@Phostings1]

This was a thing back in ffxiv 1.0. If you subbed both games before 1.0 died, you would have access to equip the Hermes Shoes to help you move faster in FFXIV 1.0. However, you needed to be sub to both always to even benefit from the extra running speed. But it was worth it, though ffxiv 1.0 was pretty empty, it was massive in size. To even get to Ul'dah, you had to trek through the maze of Gridania which I've gotten lost in many times.

[@wilddragonchase]

@@Phostings1 i didnt know you needed to be subbed on both for the boost. that didnt last long tho i remember they stopped subs on xiv shortly after launch anyway

[@Phostings1]

@@wilddragonchase Yeah, it didn't last very long. It was a great item, but it was time to move from 1.0 to 2.0 eventually.

[@alexfpower]

@@Phostings1 could you keep the item once it went to ARR?

[@Phostings1]

@@alexfpower They made the announcement that they will be discontinuing the bonus when they shut down the servers for 1.0. The item will did not transfer to 2.0.

[@vicenarian340]

I'm glad I'm not the only one hoping that one of CS3’s unannounced games is a FFXI remake. Thank you for making this video! I like FFXI too much to view the information objectively. I’ve got two follow-up questions: 1. Would you want a single-player or MMO remake? 2. If a remake is being worked on, I’d want at least all the content from Nations to RoV remade (even if they can't do it all at once). Bonus if they got tVR in too. What content would you want included in the remake?

[@wilddragonchase]

thank you! i feel the same way haha but i needed to get it off my chest. to your questions: 1. definitely an MMO. i think FFXI only worked as well as it did since its early days because its an MMO. having trusts from day 1 would alleviate grouping issues but i think it needs to be a game you primarily play together with others. also CS3 seems to better at crafting MMOs in my opinion. 2. in my mind, it should work like a reboot would. like, start with vanilla, then slowly roll out each expansion and so on. with the benefit of already having content down the road and knowing what works, they could balance things evenly around each update.. like 10 levels for each expansion, introducing merits earlier, and frontloading newer content and QoL thats meant for early game. like.. FoV training regimes could be merged with RoE. it'd be good if they changed it up a little to streamline the systems a bit. and if they can get through SoA, maybe we can finally have that actual far east expansion.

[@M0ssP1glet]

I actually wanted so badly for the mobile remake to release, I've always wanted to share my first MMO with my brother and dad but they weren't able to get past the initial registration process and Playonline (the true first boss). They've mentioned before about exploring the idea of an offline version that would also be welcome, at this point I would be happy with whatever they decided so long as they actually decide on something - it's very special to me.

[@finestcustard5647]

Man I really want to try XI. But the lack of a free trial and how difficult and traditional it can be with the finding parties is daunting. At the same time that’s why it looks so cool. I like the idea of different classes actually adding something unique to the party. I wish FFXIV would go in that direction but oh well

[@gregcale5388]

I could point you to some of the private servers, they tend to still have high populations. Horizon even forces old-school level parties by banning trusts, to make it more like 2005 again.

[@Justuas]

There is a free trial...

[@Pak_Flesot]

If i could bring my old character (Heiyu), and all equipment and items back. I probably would come back. But i wouldnt have all my old friends from my linkshell, (thehandofmoria) anymore. So i might not. Its hard to say. But if my character is lost, i wouldnt start over. My 90 days of logged time would be lost forever. After just beating maat with my black mage, and reaching 71 black mage. As well as my monk, redmage, and bard were also getting used quite frequently. I had a lot of investment in that one character.

[@biggrayalien4791]

"A Case _of"_ implies it has happened or it is happening, a sense of impending certainty. "A Case _for"_ is an argument in support of the point you wish to make.

[@foomp]

Yoshi-P isn't stupid about the potential of FFXI. There's a reason why it's still notably popular in both player base and its historical notoriety in the MMO market. A better world would result in using what they've learned with the main game and taken lessons from their efforts with the mobile ones, both the one that was cancelled and the one that had a short lived JP only release, and make an offline simple version of the game. IMO, there is a huge HUGE risk with releasing an MMORPG remake of FFXI to the scale that people expect. It's not going to work trying to live off of the truly unique approach that the game had. No other MMORPG encapsulated the experience that FFXI provided back then. The combination of (then) great graphics, great music, impressive storylines, strict/difficult and limiting party based combat, and 2nd life level of progression requirements is next to impossible to achieve today in an online space. It was a product of its time purely due to the struggle players expected. You can however achieve this offline. They should utilize the trust system. Release a version of the retail FFXI for cheap to test the waters of releasing a real remake. $30 maybe, following in the footsteps of Mega Man X Dive offline. A potentially low cost effort to profit off what exists. The fact that private servers have basically achieved this means it is doable, assuming they can remove the online components. They could even release episodic expansions if they really wanted to, starting from NA release of OG+RotZ. I doubt this will happen though in general. They haven't even released Final Fantasy Record Keeper as an offline game, although because it's still an active gacha game in Japan, that'd probably explain why. That thing would be a perfect offline game to really get people to fall in love with nearly all the FF titles across the companies history. It was a surprisingly really well done turn-based mobile game and I can't imagine porting it to offline for PC, mobile, and/or consoles would take much time and money to do. It's basically the best way they could market the entire franchise. They could even release cheap updates to the game for new FF titles or collabs like they do with the live version.

[@Thatguy101987]

I think its all going to come down to cost and profitability. SE is going to have to pretty much rebuild the game and dev tools from scratch in order modernize it. The question comes are they willing to put the money and other resources to doing that?

[@zantravmotovin4606]

I would love to see an updated ver of ffxi but im doubtful of this because of how SE uses ambu wherein the fights are so hard and they want you to grind this out and making master levels so bad that it takes months to get a Mlvl in that time I would also like to see this put back on the multi systems like it once was back in the day with ps2 xbox 360 and pc but with it solely on PC it can lock ppl out. look at Genshin Impact no one thought it would last but with it being put on multi systems it blew up Still i want to be hopeful that something happens

[@nathanlee6099]

I think they are going to do something with FFXI - I'm just not sure what. It's a beloved title and they know that.

[@wilddragonchase]

i think you're right haha. they are going to do something. we just don't know what.

[@picxal1948]

I think it would only make sense if it further seperates itself from FFXIV. That means taking away some conveniences for the sake of immersion. Waiting for ships/airships is realtime. Having to use teleport magic or outposts for travel or journeys on foot. Mobs being unforgiving depending on the area, and having to use survival tactics or strength in numbers to traverse a zone. The zones actually being utilized as leveling areas instead of strictly instanced dungeons or trials. Seeing parties grouping up and forming camps was hugely immersive back in the day and doesn't really have an equivalent today. Thoughtful combat that utilizes team cooperation and strategic skill timing. Things that may be inconvenient, but make the world feel real. It would be a nice return to harder MMOs while also being a change of pace from faster paced modern MMOs that are a bit theme park-ish.

[@lee1130fromtwitter]

Dont. Give me hope...

[@andrewclear8905]

I think that a remake or remaster of FFXI would be more profitable than any of the remakes / remasters before it. After all, it was the most profitable FF before FFXIV dethroned it. Yet, it would be expensive to remake / remaster it and it could potentially canabilize some of the profit that FFXIV receives, therefore, reducing the overall potential for its return on investment (at least in the near term). Moreover, if they make quality of life changes, or basically any changes to the game, then they risk alienating the core loyal players of FFXI, and thus lose the player base has kept the lights on, and thus, might prevent the lights from staying on. I, myself, believe a remake or remaster is needed. Even if they just ported it to Unreal and updated the UI, I would be satisfied.

[@darklordkuro7953]

I would definitly try it if it rerelease on ps5. Even more so if i dont need to double sub with ff14

[@MichaelRobertLawrenceITsec]

I'd go for the MAAT crap as a trophy, as you needed maxed skills 70-75 cap what busted me out.. or more challenging group fight , as a mage.. was getting punted...

[@Mikoinv]

I agree l use to play FFXI and it holds so many great memories for me

[@JiyuKishiParn]

If they go forward with this, I expect proper Red Mage advancement where I wouldn't have to press against the grind and even bend reality itself for for years in order for them to have made it into what it is now as opposed to a repeat of its long time stagnation outside of die hards like myself.

[@distantworlds3308]

I have been wanting a remake of ffxi for years now. I thought even a single player version would be acceptable at this point. I hope you are right that in a couple of years we could get a remake.

[@FurlowT]

As long as they make so the older players can move over to the new stuff, I think I'd be game for it. Though same time, wouldn't be totally sad if couldn't. I saw a while back people doing a proof of concept making FFXI in Unreal Engine, they even were working on zones that weren't included in game release that were originally meant to be, like the chocobo forest and some train station.

[@wilddragonchase]

ive seen those proof of concepts! some of them look really good. if players could do that, i can barely imagine what the devs could achieve with a better engine

[@SetzerJH]

I’ll never go hard on it again, a decade of my life was enough. But I desperately hope there’s always some version of Ronfaure and La Theine to run around in.

[@heliosdrachenys]

I would love justt a way to play "normaly" witth a PC without the need to go tthrough so much pain just to set up a hotbar AND configure it with shorttcutts.

[@BlakeAustin2011]

I don’t think they will remake it as an MMO. If they do remake it, the game will be full on solo mode with maybe online co-op for larger scale fights/raids. But I think one of the 2 games announcement will likely be a reboot/remake of Chrono Trigger, if not another entry into the series. The other I imagine is a solo-player version of FF11 that’s more action RPG oriented and boss battler, similar to Elden Ring. An 11 remake would be fun for nostalgia purposes, but the battle, crafting, and story-telling systems would all have to be overhauled. 11 also has a ton of dialogue, and it would be a chore to condense and voice act parts and such.

[@ryan_deakin]

this was a great video. this got me really excited about the idea. personally id like to see the stories in FFXI repackaged into an offline more traditional FF . I think XI had some great stories and characters that alot of FF fans would love, but its buried in a very archaic MMO with an intimidating learning curve and it just feels like these great stories are a bit hidden and trapped. but I do think its highly unlikely we will ever see much more FFXI stuff in the future let alone a remake. it just feels like every other FF game has a much bigger presence in peoples minds and id sooner expect a remake of FFVIII or FFX than XI. but you may be right. id love it if you were

[@wilddragonchase]

definitely agree that other FF games have a bigger presence in people's minds. but that also means XI has even more of an untapped market to reach out to. SE has been putting quite a bit of faith in creative studio 3 lately tho so i expect to see them running more mainline FF projects

[@stevenchan3822]

one of the hardest MMO I ever played. Very satisfying

[@GCJACK83]

XI might not see a remake or re-release. The current dev team has the game set on maintenance mode and SE and the currently active retail community seem more than happy with the status quo in terms of the graphics, sound, and OS. The game is a product of it's time, complete with difficulties such as the multi-tiered barriers to account creation. If SE did a "remake", they risk alienating the community by changing the game too much in one way or another.

[@ecksluss]

I disagree, but at the VERY least, they need to update the account creation process and the launcher and all that stuff.

[@MichaelRobertLawrenceITsec]

A remake doesn't have to destroy it.. But a remastered ui interface, graphics sure.. some elements like Maat .. trophy vs hard lvl cap bullshit... Map sharing... Old Town movopolis... Could finly not keep stumbling aimlessly to the chest for map....

[@wilddragonchase]

haha movalpolos will forever be a pain to navigate XD

[@holgualoxford3871]

I played 11 a couple years ago for the 1st time. It was a blast but that UI and control scheme was rough. After getting max level and many job points as Red Mage I just didn't feel like continuing to fight all that just to keep doing the same thing on different jobs. Also was not a fan of all the gear swapping that was allowed. It pretty much required you to get many weird niche items and use gear swap macros. Clunky and convoluted. The base idea I loved and had a great time leveling thru it.

[@jeannecaelum5167]

i tried getting into FF11 and i love the mood and vibe but gameplay is just not my stuff. A remake would be just so awesome, i crave Vanadiel!

[@timepassesbye]

So this is a conflicting topic. Given the amount of time it’s taken for people to get their characters to the point they have them, a remake that doesn’t allow for a direct plugging in of your jobs, gear, and achievements would be a massive letdown for existing players, and a very strong reason not to play a remake. I’ve personally been playing since the US release in 2003, I can’t imagine going through 21 years of the same content all over again. While I also play 14, I do feel it’s a lesser game compared to XI. The depth of every aspect of XI far exceeds 14, whether it being the use of abilities, spells, weapon skills, or the specific ways that jobs can be utilized. 14 didn’t begin as a one size fits all game, and when they remade it so that there were roles rather that unique jobs, it was a massive letdown with how you could play your favorite jobs. XI’s use of the subjob system was and always will be one of the most groundbreaking ways to diversify play. The way gear is used and optimized by abilities is also something that you couldn’t dream of doing in 14. And while it can feel clunky at times, a piece of gear that does everything wouldn’t feel right in a game like XI, it would make it feel more like a Diablo style game imo. I think a remake wouldn’t make those still playing XI leave the game, after all, 14 didn’t. Maybe a remaster with massive updates to XI would be a better approach to keep the existing player base happy and entice new players to join.

[@shinon748]

FF11 needs a remake being a mainline Final Fantasy. I dont know if the remake will be a full MMO or not. But even if its co-op where you host rooms for X amount of people. That would be fine too.

[@gregcale5388]

It's hard to see how exactly they would go about a remake. Would it just be a new group of skins and art with backend servers upgraded? Would the story, mission and quest structure be changed? Even leaving the combat system aside, you have a very arcane game, with intentionally vague quests, your weakness missions as your first impressions, and 20 years of content to overwhelm new players with. If there is something that I think sums up much of FFXI, it's when they announced that definitively that the direction your character faces during synthesis has no effect. He was immediately contradicted by a fan with spreadsheets of evidence. People had to do legit science experiments to understand the game.

[@Dawillisb]

Would be nice for FFXVII to be the remake with a few reworks. I liked the journey of leveling to max and then the endgame but don't know how popular it would be if the leveling process is longer.

[@NAzo.]

I would love a remake but one that is for single player. They would have to change things around so we can have an active party and so forth.

[@vinley3354]

There was no other game like this. The sense of danger in the world at 75 cap was unreal. The need of friends and community created one of the greatest MMO atmospheres I ever played. There was a real sense of comradery, very akin to team sports, among the communities, and linkshells. There's nothing like it today. I think a classic style XI (with some QOL additions and modernization) would drastically energize the current MMO landscape, which is grossly stagnant and boring. XIV is great, but it's an instance simulator game without real challenge. XI was challenging no matter what you were doing. I truly miss it. There was also just much deeper content; it would break the industries current leaning towards boring daily and weekly tasks designed to waste time because they don't understand how to make gameplay interesting. XI didn't need because it was properly made with an interesting world and endless possible things to do. The only real time sync was when it started to lose players and you had exp party downtime. That was in part because of the MMO blitz that happened in the early 2000s that began to fracture the MMO landscapes communities, but all those games inevitably died. XI simply never received the support and modernization it needed to allow players to come back. If it did, we'd see a much different beast than what we have now.

[@FUall19956]

If they remake FFXI I'll play it, I have a special attachment to this despite never making it very far, only recently in a private server did I make it to like level 63

[@godlessandlovingit]

I played XI for 4 years in highschool. I loved it, but by god was it hard and unforgiving. NOTHING could be done solo. So you had better enjoy playing with others. I love that XIV is solo-casual player friendly. if they could give XI the same treatment. I would love it

[@JoshWiniberg]

As someone who never played it (and won't - I'm not really interested in MMOs), I really hope they create a single player remake of this (and XIV eventually).

[@wilddragonchase]

i hope so too. i understand that MMOs arent for everyone. its just a pity that so many people have been missing out on XI's story and gameplay because of it

[@visoroverwatch3247]

I think if SE really wanted it, they could remake the base FFXI game in a few months, especially since all the FFXI assets are pretty much reused and have their graphics updated for 2024 in the recent expansion. Unfortunately, they will need to make some changes on how party grouping works and control RMT since these are the 2 main issues in FFXI today. People selling gil and clears and ppl not being able to find groups without standing in town for hours.

[@Ephremjlm1]

FF11 is probably my favorite game of all time in its classic state, but there are two reasons I don't think it's ever getting a remake. 1. They confirmed that c they have visualized the ps2 dev kits so in theory that shouldn't be an issue anymore. 2. The gameplay just didn't hooks to the larger audience SE is looking to target. A remake would be too costly and let's say they did, the only way it would be viable would be if it were to succeed FF14 and match is gameplay. That said 14 just got a graphics update so i don't see that happening any time soon.

[@Ziploc_Wonder]

This just popped up and I am so hopeful this could happen. I loved playing this back in the day. I hate that I can't recover my old account, and I wasn't wanting to start all over again... I tried, but just couldn't bring myself to. I've seen the Horizon Project thing, which is a Private Server version I think? But I just ended up playing FF14. Having it run by Nexon scares me, though...

[@autumn_k]

I loved FFXI when it first came out. But the move from that game play design seemed pretty intentional. FFXIV was made to be more accessible. I don't know how they'd position a remake, how they'd plan for its space in the market if it ran concurrent with XIV, or how they'd need to redesign gameplay. It seems unlikely it would get a major remake in the same sense as FFVII.

[@rowanmorris2187]

I'd like a go for sure. Ff11 is the only mainline I've never played.

[@VinlandicSoul]

With the release of trusts in FFXI, I could totally see them making an offline version of the game, albeit with a more ff12 gameplay feel. As someone who’s played Ffxi for 20+ years it would be great to see it back in some form, and I also started playing XIV, it really is hilarious just how much reused assets they took from XI 🤣

[@joshferguson4532]

XIs magic burst system was goat

[@chrisadair1042]

I would love to have a remake/remaster of xi. I want it on new consoles.

[@cosmickatamari]

I don't know if I have another 23,000 hours to devote to this game. But I will sure as hell try.

[@element7526]

Remake... nah, Remaster / re-release, yes. WIll it happen? Probably not.

[@chrisnusz6818]

My only concern with a remake is does it cater to solo play which was impossible in the 75 era? I stopped playing on CoP so I don’t know much of the progression past that however I enjoyed spending hours trying to claim king behe and nidhogg. Also the hours spent in dunes grinding with your first party something about the game was super memorable. My fear is it’s just to hardcore for todays playerbase what changes would be made and it would it be the same experience we miss in modern MMOs

[@takerweapon1]

I'm seeing this remade for the PS6 generation of consoles but not this generation of consoles. I also this remade as an Action MMORPG with single player mode.

[@jamesbennett8994]

I don’t want it to be true but honestly I’m thinking about going back to play the original. I had 8 long good years on this game

[@Arlacent]

I really think it's wishful thinking at this point as the crowd it appeals to (me being one of them) is incredibly niche and willing to struggle for the payoff. Even with modern accessibility conventions, I don't believe XI would garner much following do to it's commitment requirements.

[@ClassyCrustatio]

As a game developer, I can say there are constant times that millions of dollars into a game for it only to be canceled and the assets never used or even just flat out deleted. While I played FF11 back in the day and occasionally play it from time to time, an FF11 remake is not in the works, UNLESS it is them picking up the mobile version as that would be the ONLY possible way to make any money off of it more than 20 years later after it's origianl release and even then it's a stretch. The fact is, it's such an outdated game, not only visually (which doesn't really matter) but mechanically. The original FF14 copied a lot of the formula from 11 and it was a nightmare to navigate because by that time, MMORPGs had changed so much. Yoshi P even addressed this when asked if there would ever be a 1.0 server created. He said something along the lines of "I don't think people would like it, otherwise it would have been successful to begin with." Monsters being" ported" from 11 to 14 isn't what you may think. It's really just a reference since 14 is basically Final Fantasy's greatest hits. Hell you can dress as the warrior of Light from FF1 while flying around in the Regalia from FF15, with your Togal pup minion From FF16 running after you. Also, FF games reuse enemies all the time, some are even lifted from other FF titles. As far as the same rigging, there are a lot of factors we don't know; it could be a standard practice studio wide, it could be that they are in fact ported over but just to save time on development. We don't know how Square's policies and procedures operate. A lot of this video is based on assumptions and understandings from someone not in the industry. Which is not a slight on you. The fact is, there is no real money to be made in a reamke for 11 especially since 14 is as large as it is. Why try to revive a 20 year old MMO when your current one that is 10 years old is doing great. If successfull, you'd be competing with yourself, if not successful, you'd waste A LOT of time and money that could have been spent on your current, successful ACTIVE game. It would be better to take that time and money and put it towards a new entry or IP. Maybe a remake of an older single player FF game but I don't think that is what CS3 is doing. FF16 was a test for them, and it did fairly well. They want to make new things, not remake old things. I'd believe an FF9 remake before an FF11 remake tbh and I still am not sold on there being an FF9 remake in the works... but that is for another time.

[@wilddragonchase]

thanks for your perspective. mine is definitely a take from someone who isn't an industry insider and who doesn't understand its norms. and i think you might be right on most counts, but one thing that makes FFXI different, that i didn't really mention in the video, is legacy. FFXI is still a mainline entry in SE's flagship franchise. they've made it a point to preserve that legacy in the past, in spite of monetary loss. like XIV:ARR probably wouldnt exist if XIV wasn't numbered XIV. they could have just as easily cut their losses instead of pumping in time and money to rebuild it, all in an effort to repair the brand. like at the end of the day, once current FFXI servers are shut down, SE still has to ask the question of how it would properly preserve its legacy

[@algame3]

They need modern graphics and make it free to play

[@cr082080]

Actually there is quite a few models from FF13 used in FF14 especially in Heavensward.

[@Trelltan]

Amazing content Keep it up homie!

[@teroril]

The two things that makes FFXI a cut above the rest of the games in the genre is the Skill Chain and Magic Burst system and the atmosphere and feel of the world. I'm not worried they'll nail the latter part. But in the current environment of the MMORPG genre, I'm worried the Skill Chain and Magic Burst system will get watered down in a remake.

[@zedorian6547]

If by watered down you mean making macros less required then I am all for it.

[@000wolf]

MMORPGs just cannot go back to how they were due to shifts in demographics, changes in technology, and reduction of leisure time. Kids and teenagers are mostly not playing them because they have grown up around social media and other livelier genres that can cater to that youthful aspect. The older crowd lacks much of the free time they once had due to more financial and domestic responsibilities along with the current economic burden, so hunting NMs with your LS or working on your relics isn't on the table for many. As a result, the social experience and investment older MMOs demanded is completely sidestepped in most modern theme-park style MMORPGs, which is usually the only viable method for maintaining such a cost heavy genre these days. Everything has to be stripped down, easily accessible, and all around cater to the solo style of play, meaning instances, lack of communication, and vertically oriented progression over a horizontal spread are all the new norm. Time is a factor; you want your players to get in and get out without becoming burnt out but still willing to come back for more when the next carrot is dangled in front of them 3 months down the road. As much as I loved playing MMOs like DAoC, EQ, and XI, I don't think games of their breed could survive in today's market. As for remaking XI in the modern MMO mold, I really wouldn't want to see something I cherish given that kind of treatment. At least there are private servers that can keep the old spirit of the game alive.

[@wilddragonchase]

definitely agree about the huge shift in demographics and the way people play their games. any remade FFXI would be very different mechanically and in terms of its respect of your time. its a tricky thing to balance and SE has shown they've had difficulty with it even in XIV lately

[@shadoxp3772]

Tbh the two things stopping me from playing 11 is not even that it is old. I would prefer 11 and 14 to be under one subscription but mostly it is playonline. That thing is harder then all savage fights in 14 if they moved it to mog station and just gave it a 14 style launcher i would play it today

[@Theigzorn]

if we go full on insano mode than i could see the whole of ff11 imported to the ff14 engine and merged to it since there is dimensional hopping in ff14 already (cant say a thing about 11 on that). so basicly 2 in itself contained mmo's (and clients) that at some point in the story not just crossover but create a stable connection with eachoter that player of each game can also do the story from there onward (wich includes also that ff14 and 11 players can enter the other world.)

[@picantepollo6238]

FFXI, the magic words to make a grown man who has played it crumble with nostalgia.

[@Blink.M2Dev]

They can barely keep up and have the funding for XIV. It would be a huge project to remake XI. It would most definitely need SE to make a new engine just to make it, that before development would even start, and that would take years. I can’t see them doing all of this while working on the original still and xiv. Highly doubt XI will ever be remade, it wouldn’t be feasible for SE. Another thing to mention is that full games worth of assets are scrapped in lots of failed games and never used. XI has quite a few reusable game objects so really it’s not much of a waste, but they leak money badly and have poor management. Also, game assets can’t always be reused from one game to another. Especially if another company created it for the developer as they would need the exact same setup to replicate them in the engine, assuming SE would use whoever’s engine made said assets. Which they wouldn’t. One thing to know about SE is they are a very niche and close minded game developer. They have very backwards methods for certain things and that is ultimately what caused every problem they have ever had. Also they would need to bring back the team from Squaresoft as they did a lot of the work on XI and without a foundation made by them it wouldn’t be a good remake.

[@nivlacasura]

Great video Yes it's possible for SE to remake ffxi. Hopefully, they do, so a new generation of players can enjoy Vana diel, and bring back some past adventures Because, no one really quits ffxi 😉