Seeing that:
  • Lag and latency issues are evidently a huge problem, more felt than in any other AAA MMORPG on the market (even compared to cheap F2P titles), to the extent that it ruins the fun for many players;
  • Datacenter/SQL security seems to be direly flawed, to the extent of massive hacking almost to an unprecedented level (no less than 380 billion gils generated out of thin air within a month, as reported by SE; and now this retainer bell hack; among many other issues);
this game may have the worst network programming ever for a MMORPG made by a major studio/publisher.

It's really sad, because on other aspects (gameplay, class design, 3D artistry, music, lore, scenario…), the game is arguably good to excellent when compared to other titles.

With Electronic Arts and Activision, Square Enix is one of the biggest companies in the gaming industry; they have a financial power to hire talents and fund projects that most others don't even dream of. How can such a huge company as SE not have some of the best network programmers in the world? How can their network team fail so big on the key aspect of a game, namely the network coding of the reboot of their flagship Massively Multiplayer Online RPG; no less than a Final Fantasy canonic title, their most valuable IP?

Mind-boggling. Such a shame.