A comprehensive write-up of FFXIV Fanfest 2023 North America; and how to do better

[ManaEterna]

A few additional suggestions (based on experience at NA fanfest 2023 vs. other, larger conventions):

1. More cars on the monorail to and from the event.

I am curious about this, I mean, it does not feel like something Square Enix can necessarily do something about?
I am curious because I don't really know much about vegas but if someone could tell me that would be appreciated. ＾＾

[Avenger]

Besides the suggestions for improved event management (which I think could really help), I want to say that I had a fantastic time overall, and the *content* of fanfest was terrific. Besides hanging out with my awesome FC, I greatly enjoyed the battle challenge, signing session, CC final, keynote, producer letter, cosplay presentation, etc.. The FFXIV players I met were all nice and not toxic. ;-) My irl DF teams were great. Many cosplayers had amazing costumes - and not just the 100 selected to be onstage. The floor areas were beautiful, especially Hoper's Hold/Mare Lamentorum and Radz-at-han. The Gleaner quest NPCs were perfectly in character. The SE dev and community team were terrific. Concerts would have been incredible had they not been absurdly loud, but they were beautifully performed regardless. And the orchestral concert was tolerable with earplugs so I really did enjoy it. Also Amanda and Jason were not just outstanding singers but also gracious in person. And Soken is my idol. ;-)

I have no complaint with Phil Spencer as a teaser for Spell Fencer - seems like a hilarious and clever idea (though maybe just my own imagination.) I play on PS5 and don't own an Xbox, but the fact that PS (nice initials) showed up to an FFXIV event wins points in my book. I just had a moment of panic when I saw him onstage with the SE CEO and I thought oh no somehow MS is going to buy SE.... I just hope the new job isn't exclusive to Xbox.

[Avenger]

I am curious about this, I mean, it does not feel like something Square Enix can necessarily do something about?
I am curious because I don't really know much about vegas but if someone could tell me that would be appreciated. ＾＾

SE seemed to have coordinated at least with the marketing side of the monorail because several monorails were decorated in promotional Final Fantasy XIV livery and filled with FFXIV promotional ads inside - even the floor and ceiling were ads for the free trial! I'm not an expert on transit but I know for events like baseball or football games etc. light rail systems often add more cars to trains right before and after the event. Bus lines will also schedule multiple extra buses. The extra trolley cars really helped at SDCC.

[ManaEterna]

That's really interesting!
When I saw Phil Spencer on the stage I instantly assumed that they were bringing the game to Xbox.
Xbox has been mentioned on and off quite a few times in the past.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly were the quest and gleaner quest NPCs?
Did you have any interesting interaction with the NPCs? ＾＾

[DamianFatale]

I would first like to preface this with a note that I did enjoy myself in many ways. The panels were wonderful, if a bit brief. The concerts were beautiful. Being present was an honor. I have nothing but love in my heart for the development team, the musicians, and the event staff in particular, with whom I empathize greatly for the lack of coordination and support they seemed to be getting.

That said, with all my heart I hope Square-Enix never again uses the LVCC for their venue.

So let's take it from the top.

• Security and Safety
  
  A handful of metal detectors, an x-ray and a security team getting people through as quickly as they can are "good" in the 'security theater' sense of it, but within the first couple hours there were people just coming in and ducking through the roped off sections, ticket or no, with whatever they had on them. Fortunately; nothing tragic happened, but this is simply unacceptable in North America. The Las Vegas Convention Center failed, utterly, in a grossly negligent way, to provide a safe convention environment for its patrons. I would, if I were in a position to do so, consider litigation on behalf of Square-Enix over how severe the failures were.
  
  They had a single checkpoint, and half a dozen points of entry that would circumvent it, and did little or nothing to maintain order in those points, while still providing what ultimately felt like a hostile and abrasive experience. Failing at the most basic elements of their function at every turn.
  
  There were a few security staff members whom I saw out on the floor on occasion but these individuals would not have been adequate in any fashion for any significant problem.
  
  Square-Enix could do nothing for this, but should be aware of it.
  
  The safety problems that were Square-Enix responsibilities were issues of traffic management, a lack of space and seating, and unclear direction and planning for major convention moments such as concerts and the keynote.
  
  It was painfully obvious that the idea of fifteen thousand human beings was an abstract concept in the minds of the event organizers, and that there had been little planning done on behalf of queueing theory and basic predictive modeling. This lack of planning, which I will go into detail on in the next point, created a number of unsafe situations where the audience ran the risk of accident, injury, or trampling by sheer crush of people.
  
  The lack of radio communication between venue staff was distressing. Who could they call for help in case of an emergency, or if they needed direction, instruction, or assistance?
  

Security theater is a farce, and makes people more upset. It also has a habit of opening trans folk to ridicule, and abuse. No thanks.

[Wilhelm_Frost]

That's really interesting!
When I saw Phil Spencer on the stage I instantly assumed that they were bringing the game to Xbox.
Xbox has been mentioned on and off quite a few times in the past.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly were the quest and gleaner quest NPCs?
Did you have any interesting interaction with the NPCs? ＾＾

The gleaner quest npcs were hired actors (who did a very good, and very difficult job, engaging with people with a fairly set script, over, and over again for two days) dressed up as Sharlayan gleaners, giving us little photo-op tasks that we would then theoretically turn in at a staff run counter for digital badges (that you could no longer access outside of the venue). Collect enough badges by participating in the various games, quests, and events, and you get a poster and a sticker.

That idea kind of fell apart (immediately) because the queue to the turn-in counter became something that extended across half the venue, wrapped around another event area, and began to circle back.

Good idea marred by terrible planning. The dismount definitely cost them some points.

[Hitokage]

For me, the biggest problem of all was seating. I have been fighting to keep from needing ADA access, but I'm on the verge of it. Because I was forced to sit on the floor to watch the piano concert in order to watch it, I was in utter agony the following day. So I said I was going to get a seat early for the primals concert.

Well, that didn't work because by about 2pm for a 7pm concert, every seat was taken. People were reserving 1, 2, 3, even at one point I saw someone reserving SIX chairs. This is absolutely ridiculous.

They needed to stop people from pulling that BS by either telling them they couldn't, clearing the chairs between panels, or you know, having seating for all of the tickets. Why did some people get to sit and the rest of us had to suffer?

Then they cleared all of the seating up in the front for the Primals concert, making it so people in ADA marked seating either lost their seats or had so many people standing in front of them they couldn't see while seated.

I actually ended up crying when I tried to move the next morning due to sitting on the concrete then having to stand to see the Primals concert - the one thing above all others I wanted to do. I gave up on the keynote and live letter - I ended up watching with friends in our hotel room, rather than having to go and stand in the heat at 6am.

re: the merch line - they should have 1) put limits on how many of any item you could get (so say, 2 of each) and 2) had everyone fill out something AHEAD OF TIME and you just came and picked up your bag of merch.

A lot of people didn't want to pay the huge amount of shipping, and thus bought at the con, but the whole thing ended up being a disaster. (And some arse bought 60 of a single plushie... why was that allowed?!)

[Avenger]

When I saw Phil Spencer on the stage I instantly assumed that they were bringing the game to Xbox.
Xbox has been mentioned on and off quite a few times in the past.

Yes, that is technically why he was there, as they did announce Xbox version (all 10 Xbox fans in Japan will be happy.) But I thought it was obvious/funny that his name is basically a spoonerism for Spell Fencer. Teaser for new job I say!

[Avenger]

I actually ended up crying when I tried to move the next morning due to sitting on the concrete then having to stand to see the Primals concert - the one thing above all others I wanted to do. I gave up on the keynote and live letter - I ended up watching with friends in our hotel room, rather than having to go and stand in the heat at 6am.

Sorry to hear about that!! I don't know why they made people queue outside in the scorching heat the first day, but the second day was thankfully inside the LVCC where there was tons of unused space (on both days.)

[Avenger]

re: the merch line - they should have 1) put limits on how many of any item you could get (so say, 2 of each) and 2) had everyone fill out something AHEAD OF TIME and you just came and picked up your bag of merch.

They did this in 2018 - went really smoothly, and no $35 shipping fee. (Though admittedly SE does a good job packing stuff for shipment.) Wish they'd told us more clearly in advance about Elpis flowers for the orchestral concert - I would have brought mine in its protective box with batteries pre-installed (though maybe they would have confiscated it like the water bottles.)