Help me understand why PSN is needed to play this game.

[stuscott]

and the "able to play if you were still logged in" isnt true on ps4.

It is for me. I put my PS4 in stand by mode last night and was able to get in with no problems.

[CrystalRainbow]

PSN offline not an issue, PC master race.

Honestly, PSN network is used to control security, and control for Sony if the games could be installed that didn't need PSN why would any company choice to use PSN network at all vs setting up there own servers.
This also lets sony control cheaters, Just be glad that FFXIV doesn't require a PSN Plus account.

[Airikay]

Tc you make no sense and seems you're crying just to cry. Earlier you were talking about paying for PSN + like it matters to XIV and claiming how XBL was so different because they didn't charge. Then when someone points out that regular PSN is free and is all that required to play you change your tune to if PSN is down you can't get on XIV. If XBL was down you couldn't get on XI either, so what exactly is your point?

@Nico those aren't sub games so they don't require license checking. The PSN is down so it can't communicate with the SE servers. The other games you can just hop straight on their servers.

[stuscott]

PSN doesn't go down when SE does maintenance, so why does XIV go down for Playstation users when PSN has maintenance? They should be separate from each other.

They are - the difference is that any online activity initiates through PSN for PS users. And it's not down - but if you aren't logged in to PSN when maintenance begins, you won't be able to log in until maintenance ends on PSN. I bought PC access a while back when Amazon was having a sale (it ended being less than a month's sub charge) just as a back up.

[RhazeCain]

Trying out developer point of view.
PC:
- Huge diversity of hardware. Have to make sure it runs on most - i.e. compatibility headaches.
- Can architect things like servers as you like. But you have to do them yourself.
- X number and type of customers have access to this setup.

Console:
- Single hardware profile. Can be optimized for that and no fear of it changing for years or between users.
- Have to deal with a partner company that will both help and hinder you. They may require things like this dependency on their services.
- Y number and type of customers have access to this setup.

Hopefully the effects of the above in consumer realm are obvious. SE has taken the somewhat rare step of doing both. Personally I have both PC and PS4 and wouldn't dream of playing on PS, PC is just better.

[Black91CRX]

It is for me. I put my PS4 in stand by mode last night and was able to get in with no problems.

Standby keeps you signed into PSN?

[stuscott]

Standby keeps you signed into PSN?

I can't verify 100% but it seems to for me.

[Sadana]

My system was left on and signed in after I played a bit earlier today. I tried signing into XIV after this thread was started and got the NP error that means PSN is down.

[Saccharin]

So MS "refusing" ff14 is now an antitrust issue we need authorities to look at? Believe it or not but it is still legal for console manufacturers to work out deals with publishers (or not).

As for the larger picture there are three console systems. More would do little to increase competition and cause the games to become even more fractured between systems and increasing cost on developers/publishers....which would obviously be passed on to us as consumers.

TLDR....service is down a few hours, but we dont need Congress to investigate.

Not every user is located in the United States of America. True story. I wouldn't trust the US Congress anymore than I do the British government.

I'm not a fan of the way the EU operates but I have to give credit when it's due. The European Commission do have the backbone to investigate large multinational corporations and not have to worry if they'll hurt their chances of re-election. They've handed some petty significant fine to major corporation for abuse. And yes they do give substantial fines to European companies too, you just don't hear about them because it's not American news. So don't give me an anti-American bias rant.

I would say Microsoft's refusal to have Final Fantasy 14 running on only Microsoft servers preventing cross platform play an antitrust issue. Other countries should investigate this but a European Commission investigation would be more likely and could actually institute a change.

Edit: I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't like another antitrust investigation. They've learned they can't out-lawyer/intimidate/politick the EC and it cost them far more than the initial fine.

[Mogi]

What maintenance i got on at 8 today then got off at 9 then back on at 11 with no probs? all so no one is making us use psn you can always buy it for both PC and ps4 or just pc