Question: Buying the game...

Hi! So I want to buy the game within the next week once my 14 day trial is up and I am playing using my PS3. My questions are can I buy the game via the PlayStation network or do I buy the game on the SquareEnix site? Also once the game is purchased then do I buy the subscription fee next? Where do I go to buy that?

A list of what to do and where in order would be great. Thanks for your help.
- CHi

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

can I buy the game via the PlayStation network or do I buy the game on the SquareEnix site?

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Either one. (You can also buy from third party retailers. I bought it from Amazon, and a friend got it at GameStop. Check around to see if someplace has it at a discount.) If you buy from SE or a third party, it will come with a registration code that you'll need to enter at the PlayStation Store on your PS3. (If you buy it from the PlayStation Store this part is automatic.)

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Also once the game is purchased then do I buy the subscription fee next? Where do I go to buy that?

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You do that at SE's MogStation:
https://secure.square-enix.com/accun...svc/mogstation
Purchase of the game comes with the first 30 days of access, so you'll have 30 days in which to go to the MogStation and set up your subscription if you want to keep continuous access.

During that 30 days, you might also want to get a code from the Recruit A Friend program. It will reward you with a pretty hairpiece that boosts your XP during the early levels of any class. If you have a friend who plays, get the code from them, as they'll also get a reward if you subscribe, or you can use one of the codes people are offering in the Friend Recruitment Code thread. (These codes are also registered at the MogStation, but can only be registered before adding subscription time, so during that first 30 days if you sub once your initial time is up.)

If you get it on PS3, keep in mind they're going to drop PS3 support at some point.

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Originally Posted by Riepah

If you get it on PS3, keep in mind they're going to drop PS3 support at some point.

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Well, that would be at least several years down the road if it does happen. And no word yet that it ever will.

Thank you so much for your help. I will be sure to come back here to refer to this info when I buy the game. :)

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Originally Posted by Niwashi

Well, that would be at least several years down the road if it does happen. And no word yet that it ever will.

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Like the game won't work on PS3 anymore? Why would they do that ever if the game is for sale on PS3?

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Like the game won't work on PS3 anymore? Why would they do that ever if the game is for sale on PS3?

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More likely, it would just mean that they may only release the first few expansions on PS3, but at some point down the road, there may be additional expansions that don't get a PS3 version if the PS3 can't support whatever new features SE wants to add to them at that point. ARR, Heavensward, and likely the next expansion or two after that —anything that gets an initial release on PS3— would continue to work on PS3.

Similarly, Final Fantasy XI and most of its expansions came out on PS2, but the final expansion, Seekers of Adoulin, which came out in 2013, did not. (At least the North American market didn't get it for PS2. Japan did.) That was more than a decade after XI released, though. I think we have quite a while yet before PS3 is as outdated as PS2 was in 2013.

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Originally Posted by Niwashi

Similarly, Final Fantasy XI and most of its expansions came out on PS2, but the final expansion, Seekers of Adoulin, which came out in 2013, did not. (At least the North American market didn't get it for PS2. Japan did.) That was more than a decade after XI released, though. I think we have quite a while yet before PS3 is as outdated as PS2 was in 2013.

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Makes sense. I am only playing on my PS3 because my laptop didn't work with the game. Although my sister has the same one and her's works fine. So when the new expansions come out I have to buy those as well?

Yes, each version and expansion of the game is a new purchase. FFXIV's next expansion, Heavensward comes out next month (also called to as 3.0). In order to access any of the Heavensward content and updates, you have to purchase the Heavensward software. The purchase of Heavensward will also give you access to all of the 3.0+ series updates over the next year or so. Of course also have to continue to pay a sub to access the servers. There is a combo pack available for both ARR and Heavensward you can purchase that will give you access to everything through 3.0.

If in the future you wish to change platforms to PC, PS4 or MAC you will have to repurchase the base game and expansions for that platform. You don't have to restart your character, however, as that is tied to your overall service account.

Out of curiosity is your sister's laptop an identical spec? If so, it should probably be able to run on your laptop. What happened when you tried?

Thanks for the info. What happens if I don't buy the newest expansion? I mean I have to buy the base game for 19.99 the another 50 or so for Heavensward... it all is running into money. How often do they have expansions coming out? If I wait for Heavensward to come out and buy that one do I still need to purchase the base game?

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Thanks for the info. What happens if I don't buy the newest expansion? I mean I have to buy the base game for 19.99 the another 50 or so for Heavensward... it all is running into money. How often do they have expansions coming out? If I wait for Heavensward to come out and buy that one do I still need to purchase the base game?

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If you don't buy the newest expansion, you can't access the new content and your level cap won't be increased. Heavensward will be the first expansion to come out, expect them around every 2-3 years. Yes, you have to buy the base game and each expansion, buying just the newest expansion will unfortunately get you nowhere.

I'd like to warn you again. The other guy here sounded a bit optimistic about the future of PS3. I don't believe you should expect the next expansion after Heavensward to still be released on PS3, because it's very, very possible that it might not be, and it's better not to get your expectations up only to have them disappointed. If at all possible, I highly recommend fixing your laptop and getting the PC version instead.

If you don't purchase Heavenward then you will still have access to all of ARR's content, just none of Heavensward's. General quality of life updates (such as changes to the user interface) you will still probably get, but as the ARR updates will end when Heavenward comes out you won't have access most of the updates going forward.

That said, there is a lot of content in ARR (also called 2.0), and you probably won't even be affected by anything in Heavenward until you reach level 50. If you are not sure if you are want to commit the money then I'd wait on purchasing Heavensward until you are closer to lvl 50.

Heavensward is FFXIV first expansion as ARR was more of a reboot than an expansion. If they continue on the same pattern then expansions will come out every 1.5 to 2 years. Keep in mind you also get large content updates about every three months, with minor updates in between, as part of purchasing the expansion.

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I am also pessimistic on how long SE will continue to support the PS3 version as Heavensward is the only expansion that they have defiantly said will be supported. It could go either way for future expansions. While the PS2 was supported for a long time for XI, it also ended up hindering XI's development. The director/producer Yoshida has said that continuing to support the PS3 after Heavensward will depend on the size PS3 playerbase and how constrained the team feels by the PS3's hardware. PC will be supported for the life of the game :).

Naria - All good info. Thanks! How long does it take to get to level 50 on average? So let's say I buy the base game and play until level 50. Then one day I buy Heavensward. If the future expansion don't go into the PS3 systems then am I stuck on level 50-60 forever? Is is worth the money doing that?

I can't afford a new PC and I don't think I should have to buy a new one because of a game but I also don't want to shell out 60 dollars for the games and a monthly fee just to have to stop playing a year or two from now. I think it would be kind of stupid and unfair to make Heavensward work with PS3 and then the next expansion not. Take our money then tells us we no longer can play.

How fast you level will depend on how frequently you play and if you skip cses/text (I recommend you don't as the team has put a lot of effort into creating FFXIV's lore and culture). Assuming you play a few hours every day then I would say it would take a month to reach lvl 50. If future expansions don't come out on the PS3, then you won't be able to access any of their content on the PS3 (zones, races, dungeons etc). I'm not sure how the level cap is being done as they have said you won't need a quest to unlock your level. It could be tied to the expansion or it could fall under "quality of life". Someone else may have a definite answer.

MMOs are a very competitive market, in order to stay competitive (and keep subs) they have to keep up with the changing industry. The PS3 is already no longer competitive hardware and if the amount of revenue produced from its subs is not equal to the amount of lost revenue from holding back the game technically then SE will drop support for future expansions. You will always be able to play ARR or Heavensward on the PS3, which is what you are purchasing when you buy those games. :) Sadly, that's just the numbers of it.

If your sister's laptop is the same spec and can run this game, then your's probably can also. There are a lot of tech skilled people on these boards. If you post more information about your computer we might be able to figure out if something is going wrong.

At least the base game, you're not really losing much if you buy the PS3 version now and later get the PC version (or if you just buy both versions now). They're currently running about $16 each (based on Amazon's prices - $16.00 PC and $16.12 PS3 - check around, maybe someplace else has them for even less) and you get a month of subscription time with each of them. So it's a platform's access plus a month of subscription time for only about a dollar more than just the month of subscription time alone. Get both and you'll have two months of access and be able to play from either platform.

When it comes to adding expansions, those don't come with another month of subscription time, so duplicating those purchases would be an additional expense. Buy the version for whatever platform you're primarily using at the time when you reach that expansion's content. So that may turn into something like buying Heavensward and the 4.0 expansion on PS3 and the 5.0 expansion on PC if a few years from now when 5.0 comes out you have a better PC than you do now.

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Originally Posted by Riepah

The other guy here sounded a bit optimistic about the future of PS3. I don't believe you should expect the next expansion after Heavensward to still be released on PS3, because it's very, very possible that it might not be

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Well, of course it's possible that the next expansion won't be on PS3, just like it's possible that there wouldn't even be another expansion. Nothing that far ahead is guaranteed, after all. But neither of those possibilities is realistic enough to treat as if it were a real expectation. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is at its heart a PS3 game. It didn't even come out as a PS4 launch title even though the game and console released the same year.

PS3 is still far from obsolete. Most game stores around here have a bigger PS3 section than they do a PS4 section, because PS3 still has a much bigger installed base than PS4. PS3s are also still selling pretty well (likely because PS4 not being backwards compatible means it's not replacing PS3 the way PS3 could replace PS2). That makes it even more unlikely that the install base of PS4 would overtake that of PS3 any time soon.

Plus, because the game is also on PC, it wouldn't really buy SE anything to just drop PS3 support. The only reason players joke about it being dropped is in context of made-up scenarios having SE make a new XIV for only the most top end systems, deliberately dropping the vast majority of their customer base so the top few elites can have a prettier game. After all, it would be pointless to drop PS3 support unless they were also going to drop most of their PC support as well. A PS3 is essentially just a rather low-end PC, and the things it can't do, low-end PCs can't do either.

SE is running a business. They're not going to artificially limit the number of people who can buy from them just to make the remaining few feel special. In any ongoing MMO type of game they're always going to keep lower-end support, both for consoles and PCs, because that's what allows anyone with a gaming capable machine to remain customers of theirs.

Realistically, SE might drop PS3 support once PS5 comes out, much as they dropped PS2 support once PS4 came out. At that point, PS4s will be the lower tier of machines. So, figure maybe around 2020 or so, give or take a bit, if console life-cycles remain similar.

Thank you, Niwashi! You've helped me decided to buy the game. I can't wonder what if...and not let myself enjoy the game because other think the PS3 version of the games may end eventually. Yes, maybe one did it will but it sounds like it's going to be a long way off if it did. Also when and if it did I may have a new laptop by then. I think the problem with my laptop is the core processor. My sister has almost same laptop but apparently her's it has a better specs or so I'm told.

I even have been invited to a free company once I buy the game. It's members are really nice and helpful.

Thanks again for taking the time to write the info you had. I appreciate it. I am looking forward to buying the game and having fun!
- Chi

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Originally Posted by Naria

How fast you level will depend on how frequently you play and if you skip cses/text (I recommend you don't as the team has put a lot of effort into creating FFXIV's lore and culture). Assuming you play a few hours every day then I would say it would take a month to reach lvl 50. If future expansions don't come out on the PS3, then you won't be able to access any of their content on the PS3 (zones, races, dungeons etc). I'm not sure how the level cap is being done as they have said you won't need a quest to unlock your level. It could be tied to the expansion or it could fall under "quality of life". Someone else may have a definite answer.

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I am more of a couple hours a day player. It all depends on what's going on each day. I did hear that even after I reach level 50 there is a lot to do still. Thanks for your help!

- Chi

While they may or may not be right about ps3, even if its dropped it wouldnt be for a year or two, possibly longer. If you really want to play it and ps3 is the best option at the moment then dont let that discourage you. If you love the game enough to play for 1-2 years then you probably wont mind upgrading when the time comes. And if not, then you have long enough to burn yourself out on the game til they drop ps3 support.

Keep in mind, if you ever change systems, you do not start over. Its account based and you can log into any device that supports FFXIV as long as your account has access to it.

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Like the game won't work on PS3 anymore? Why would they do that ever if the game is for sale on PS3?

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Yoshi had said they will be dropping PS3 support for the game at some point because it is holding the game back. He said there were many things they would like to do, but can't until PS3 support is dropped. I use to play on PS3 before upgrading to PS4 version, and the PS3 version was horrendous. It struggles to run the game in some areas, especially in areas with higher player populations. They were originally going to support PS3 up to the first expansion, but have since extended PS3 support through Heavensward expansion. My guess is they'll drop it for the expansion after Heavensward. Keep in mind that if ever upgrade to PS4 version you will need to buy the game again as December 2014 is when they ended the free upgrade from PS3 to PS4 version, unless they extended it and I'm unaware of it.

Basically, you could be buying a game you'd have to buy again later. Then again, I would think once SE does drop PS3 support, that they would allow PS3 players to upgrade to PS4 for free, otherwise that would be a crappy move on SE's part.