Subscription adjustment for Console players?

[Dsherman]

I was wondering if Square-Enix will be making any kind of an "adjustment" to subscription fees or length for the end of Console Service which they have stated will occur at the end of March 2016.

I know that there is no charge involved in changing over to use the Windows PC version. That version is available for download for free from a link available on the main official FFXI web page. After downloading and installing that version, one need only enter the same account information to that PC version as is used now for the Console version.

But there may still be some people who just do not want to play on the PC version for some reason, and thus the last day of console service will be the last day they will be playing FFXI.

So I was wondering if any kind of "adjustment" will be made for these people to allow them to continue to play up to the very last moment of console service without have to pay anything for service on days after that last day. It could take the form of some free login days, or it could be a special pro-rated subscription period running from the end of their last full paid subscription period to the last day of console service (a period would be something less than the full subscription period of 30 days).

While SE has implied that there will be no such "adjustment", they have not said so directly. So I figure it can't hurt to ask.

[Pups323]

Being as they have offered the pc version (upgrade) for free, and given multiple month notices, i doubt they will do anything special.

In fact, i wouldnt be surprised if they billed you for a full month 3 days before they closed console support.

[peculiar]

Asking here is akin to shouting at a wall.

You'll get the same amount of official response.

[Alhanelem]

I don't think there will be any adjustments. if you don't want to pay a month's fee for a few days, best cancel and accomplish what you can.

But why let it stop there? Hook your PC up to a TV and use your xbox controller or other gamepad. The experience is the same. Pretty much nobody can say that their PC can't run it. Even 10 years ago you didn't need a great PC to run the game.

In fact, i wouldnt be surprised if they billed you for a full month 3 days before they closed console support.

Of course they will, because you can still play the game after that, just not on the console. I don't know why people are so fussy about patform. Odds are you're posting on this forum from a device that can run the game. Plug the PC in to a TV, plug in your game controller and it's the exact same game with the exact same feel.

[Bluestar2kx]

But why let it stop there? Hook your PC up to a TV and use your xbox controller or other gamepad. The experience is the same. Pretty much nobody can say that their PC can't run it. Even 10 years ago you didn't need a great PC to run the game.

Pretty much, just hook your PC to a TV, hell a good portion of players do that already. There's no difference except brand loyalty, esp with the ingame software keyboard, installed I assume, just for console users, as was the xinput.

And hell, all computers made in the last 10 years can play FFXI. Any smart phone made in the last 5 years can play FFXI (well has the power, not the architecture). FFXI being made for console first has a boon in this case, it's easily setup for Pc to act like a console, and be controlled as such with little effort.


To the OP, odds are, there will not be any price change, pretty sure SE already stated such officially, but idr where. But why charge less just because service is ending? The service keeps the same quality until then, why charge less for the same thing? Esp when Pc service is the same as console service accounts, just flip to PC and keep playing.

The only thing ending is the platform, not the services really.

They do free login campaigns all the time so I would expect that to show up again in about 3 months.

[bungiefanNA]

Actually, it's about 5 years back for computers to be able to play FFXI, as before then it required nVidia or AMD graphics. In 2010, Intel graphics started meeting the needs of the game. As laptops don't have upgradable graphics, it wasn't until 2010 that any Windows computer on the market could play the game.

As far as resistance to switching platforms, I'm playing on a TV, just like I did when starting on PS2, and using a PS2 controller via a USB adapter. The game is actually better than on console, because I can see more while chat windows are open, and I can see terrain that's farther away. Weather effects and certain graphics effects like avatar auras and such have never quite looked like they did on PS2 (which did them better), but otherwise the game works just the same, with the benefit of me having a wiki on my other screen, and being able to copy/paste links into chat when helping linkshell members.

In fact, those still playing on PS2 have to deal with decreased frame rates since Adoulin dropped. A PC wouldn't be nearly as choppy as they've been dealing with the past almost 3 years.

[Bluestar2kx]

Actually, it's about 5 years back for computers to be able to play FFXI, as before then it required nVidia or AMD graphics. In 2010, Intel graphics started meeting the needs of the game. As laptops don't have upgradable graphics, it wasn't until 2010 that any Windows computer on the market could play the game.

That's not entirely true.
Intel has had GPU's as early as 1999. Intels 2004 gpu's were the first full Dx9 compatible designs able to run the game easily. Remember, this game only requires 32mb of vram, those old chips are roughly 200mhz at least. And a 800mhz cpu has been around since 2000.

Any gamers PC could run this game since 2000, any generic PC since 2004 at the latest. So 11 years worth of computers can run this game. Laptops too, as those early models often used a more then sufficient GPU (usually amd) as early as 2003.


I can definitely vouch for before then as a pc gamer, I've been playing since 2003 with the radeon 9800 pro. As for nongamers, definitely earlier then 2010, I bought a Dell inspirion in 2007 that used an intel X4500HD, and it ran ffxi just fine, given the 3000 could play FFXI, it can be even earlier then that. A few years ago I bought an win XP laptop, a compaq 6230 with an X300 and 64mb vram for old school gaming, it still runs ffxi fine, and it's a 2006 model, not even the most expensive model of the time period.

So definitely A LOT earlier then 2010 on general systems the public likely did buy.


I definitely feel sorry for PS2 users, no adoulin outside japan, poor capability and resolutions. But it's always been easy to upgrade to PC, accounts have always been cross-platform, now it's just a better reason to switch.

[bungiefanNA]

Actually, Adoulin was patched into all consoles without needing a disc as of the November update. Ch. 1 of Rhapsodies installed Zilart and Promathia for everyone. Ch. 2 installed Aht Urhgan and Wings. Ch. 3 installed Adoulin. As long as they have it registered, which buying the $10 collection in November would have done, they can access it on PS2. I even found a way back in late-2013 to install it to NA PS2with data from a JP disc, and posted it to Reddit and a few other forums.

I stuck with PS2 through Wings because it was a more stable platform than my computer, but then a lot of cutscene problems happened with Abyssea and removal of the level caps from old mission fights, and it became my backup platform.

[Alhanelem]

Actually, Adoulin was patched into all consoles without needing a disc as of the November update.

That was for RoV compatability, you still need a registration code.

[bungiefanNA]

Which was $5 during November, when they added the data.