Interested in FFXI - now that I have time

[Splat]

Hello everyone.

A few months back I have posted here for the first time, I wanted to give FFXI a proper go but due to IRL I couldn't.
Now I have some time to spare, and I'm actually impressed that recently interest in FF XI has increased even more for whatever reason.

I wanted to ask the ones of you that have been playing FFXI for years now, what makes this game special to you and to have been playing for a long time or a very very, very long time.
I come from World of Warcraft, FFXIV, also a bit of SWTOR, there's a few more modern mmorpg's out there like Pax Dei or Ashes of Creation but I don't feel compelled or interested by any of them, at this point I think I would go back to play Vanilla WoW or even Guild Wars 2 or hell maybe even Old School Runescape.

I look at FFXI and it's a mmorpg that was even launched for the PlayStation 2 in 2002, meaning that this game is even older that WoW... And in 2025, for it's age, it's still very much alive.

I'm genuinely curious as to why Final Fantasy XI is so special for many of you?

I thank you all for reading this.

[Zattano]

Hello everyone.

A few months back I have posted here for the first time, I wanted to give FFXI a proper go but due to IRL I couldn't.
Now I have some time to spare, and I'm actually impressed that recently interest in FF XI has increased even more for whatever reason.

I wanted to ask the ones of you that have been playing FFXI for years now, what makes this game special to you and to have been playing for a long time or a very very, very long time.
I come from World of Warcraft, FFXIV, also a bit of SWTOR, there's a few more modern mmorpg's out there like Pax Dei or Ashes of Creation but I don't feel compelled or interested by any of them, at this point I think I would go back to play Vanilla WoW or even Guild Wars 2 or hell maybe even Old School Runescape.

I look at FFXI and it's a mmorpg that was even launched for the PlayStation 2 in 2002, meaning that this game is even older that WoW... And in 2025, for it's age, it's still very much alive.

I'm genuinely curious as to why Final Fantasy XI is so special for many of you?

I thank you all for reading this.

This game has something unique that I haven't found in other MMOs yet: The highly configurable gearset options and mostly-mature player base of mostly-helpful people. Challenging endgame content, and progression that isn't spoon-fed. Fights aren't scripted, have to think reactively. Downfall is pre-endgame content is lackluster, and it takes a chunk of time to get through. And Sheol: Gaol V25 is mostly a battle against RNGsus.

[Beastorizer]

Downfall is pre-endgame content is lackluster, and it takes a chunk of time to get through.

Best part of XI to me......
https://i.imgflip.com/17s0ar.jpg?a489576