Third-party Tools Can Negatively Affect Players Not Using Them

[ForteNightshade]

They could break ACT, AM, XIVAlexander, and a few other plugins if they just encrypted game packets, and they could probably stop players from datamining the game if they uppped the security of the installation files, but they seem to be not interested at all in doing this.

Getting around encrypted game packets wouldn't be difficult. The only surefire way they'd ever be able to "break" any of those programs is with a dedicated anti-cheat software that was routinely updated. Which they'll never do for the simple fact it wouldn't be worthwhile financially. Third party programs have become so ubiquitous nowadays, SE would lose substantially more than they'd ever gain attempting to break them. For example sake, losing say 100k would cost them over 16M annually despite that only being probably around 10% of the overall playerbase. That's an insane amount of money to lose for essentially nothing. There's no benefit beyond saying "our game is now 100% pure". Breaking third party won't get them new subscriptions to make up those losses. In fact, 100k is a very low estimation considering the disastrous impact losing third party would have on the raid and roleplay scenes, two of the largest side activities in the game.

Put simply, they aren't interested because there's zero for them to care when they can have the best of both worlds.

[Mosha]

Getting around encrypted game packets wouldn't be difficult. The only surefire way they'd ever be able to "break" any of those programs is with a dedicated anti-cheat software that was routinely updated. Which they'll never do for the simple fact it wouldn't be worthwhile financially. Third party programs have become so ubiquitous nowadays, SE would lose substantially more than they'd ever gain attempting to break them. For example sake, losing say 100k would cost them over 16M annually despite that only being probably around 10% of the overall playerbase. That's an insane amount of money to lose for essentially nothing. There's no benefit beyond saying "our game is now 100% pure". Breaking third party won't get them new subscriptions to make up those losses. In fact, 100k is a very low estimation considering the disastrous impact losing third party would have on the raid and roleplay scenes, two of the largest side activities in the game.

Put simply, they aren't interested because there's zero for them to care when they can have the best of both worlds.

Within the active player base, I would say it is a lot higher than 10% just walk around the Quicksands on Balmung and see how many plates have Mare in the bio. Just mare and we aren't talking about ACT or Dalamud as a whole, 3rd party-tools are ubiquitous at this point.

[ForteNightshade]

Within the active player base, I would say it is a lot higher than 10% just walk around the Quicksands on Balmung and see how many plates have Mare in the bio. Just mare and we aren't talking about ACT or Dalamud as a whole, 3rd party-tools are ubiquitous at this point.

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree. That was a very conservative estimation just to highlight how big a loss even just 100k would be. At this point, there is zero chance SE would ever risk the enormous backlash breaking third party programs would have.

[AzhreiVahlok]

oh please they can afford it.... they get more money then that from the RMT that have to keep remaking their accounts (they have to rebuy the game right?). Then again maybe they're making that crap up? I just recently cleared my blacklist cause it was full from Venue ad shouters, but near the top i saw at LEAST 5 RMT still active (not "unable to retrieve").... it's been MONTHS since i added people near the top.