Art by @TocyErbrcy, @konran_p, @isyu_lailai & @Miyoyo_Yoyo

T  h  e    E  O  R  Z  E  A    E  f  f  e  c  t

As a Final Fantasy XIV veteran, I have experienced and seen so many reasons to fall in love with the game and its community during the three years of its existence. So, it always feels good to come back after inevitable breaks between the patches, and continue the compelling story while facing mighty foes and perfecting my fabulous glamours – after all, that’s the true end-game.

During my breaks, I would keep frequently checking what’s up within the Final Fantasy XIV community on Twitter, the Forums, Reddit and Facebook as it’s partly my duty as Editor-in-Chief of Square Portal too. I absolutely love to see the fans showing off their passion towards the game by creating art, goofy or amazingly edited 10-minute long videos, music / remixes, fan theories or even role-playing fiction! Especially, behind the #FFXIVAW hashtag you can find beautifully edited screenshots from the game. This all makes me want to return to Eorzea every single time!

Nearly everyone who has played any MMO games is probably familiar with the concept of burning out effect after doing challenging content such as savage raids, grinding for that perfect relic weapon or simply by playing too much. Quietly staring at his nearly 3 000 hours playtime in Final Fantasy XIV. Whether you notice it in yourself or your friends, it’s very important to deal with this issue before it gets out of control and toxic – it might eventually kill the amazing experience.

This is why I recommend breaks for everyone even though it might be hard for a player who’s hardcore and wants to achieve success within the game. There are so many amazing games and real life experiences out there awaiting you and eventually making you feel refreshed and ready to dig into Final Fantasy XIV again. From personal experience, I know it’s hard, especially, if your closest friends and a lover are playing the game with you. It could easily be one’s only social experience after a long day at work. Going outside and making friends out of nothing was never an easy task and it’s more comfortable to fall into a perfect illusion. And as scary as it might be, sometimes taking a step towards the unknown future is the best thing one can do for themselves.
.

“The best part of being a Final Fantasy fan is seeing the community flourish through passion and creativity”

.
After two months, I am back. Eorzea is just the way it always used to be – with a few new tricks and thrilling turns of events up its sleeves. My friends are still there as well – looking forward to hear how I have been and what’s up with my life. As we go through the new experiences and bond even further, Final Fantasy XIV feels better than ever before.

If you are a newcomer, don’t worry! You won’t be burning out anytime soon and there’s a very special adventure awaiting for you! Final Fantasy XIV offers you an opportunity to create a one of the kind experience while adventuring through the realm of Eorzea and learning its epicness. During the journey, we often look for different experiences or pay attention on different details: challenging epic fights, role-playing aspects, connecting with new people and making friends for a lifetime, minigames in Gold Saucer, serving salt in player versus player modes such as The Feast or the Market Board – Eorzea got pretty much all of it. Just try them out and you will find your place!

Final Fantasy series has always been known for its standard setting art direction and it really shows in all their games. The world of Final Fantasy XIV contains so many little details you might not ever notice until you stop, take a deep breath and view the surroundings. Free camera movement and the 1st person mode have allowed the fans to capture the world of Eorzea and their characters in creative ways and giving a retouch truly takes it on a new level. You can find more edited screenshots with the #FFXIVAW hashtag on Twitter – be sure to share your enhanced shots and videos there with others!

Final Fantasy XIV is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC. Patch 3.4, titled as “Soul Surrender”, release on September 27, 2016. You can download and try the free trial on the official website or PlayStation Store. It’s always a great time to dive in the world of Eorzea! See you there!

.