Speculation on player races

[Xanikk999]

Do you think there is any link between the current player races and those in Final Fantasy XI. By link I mean directly related in lore somehow. I don't know how you would explain it other than maybe dimensional travel.

It is a little too convenient that each race (except the newest one) has an exact counterpart in Final Fantasy XI. If not I guess it could be chalked up to the idea that whoever developed these races just didn't want to make something new.

[myahele]

It could very well be possible that FF11 was set in before/ during the 1st Astral Era - Age of Gods. But otherwise, probably not they just wanted an upgrade version of the older races which is understandable

[Colorful]

FFXIV takes place on the world Hydaelyn and FFXI on Vana'diel, and I doubt there's any dimensional travel (maybe Allagans, but that's used for literally anything technologically advanced in FFXIV). Probably just so FFXI are familiar with the races they've come to love over the years of playing FFXI, and to ease their transition to FFXIV.

[Nestama]

Probably just so FFXI are familiar with the races they've come to love over the years of playing FFXI, and to ease their transition to FFXIV.

This is the correct answer.

[Moonleg]

During the 11 crossover event with Shantotto she specifically stated that she plane-hopped. So no, we're not on a thousands-of-years-later Vana'diel.

[Nestama]

During the 11 crossover event with Shantotto she specifically stated that she plane-hopped. So no, we're not on a thousands-of-years-later Vana'diel.

To add, there's no mention of Altana anywhere in FFXIV (instead, we have The Twelve)... and the devs have confirmed that Vana'diel (or was it Ivalice) is not on Hydaelyn.

[Enkidoh]

To add, there's no mention of Altana anywhere in FFXIV (instead, we have The Twelve)... and the devs have confirmed that Vana'diel (or was it Ivalice) is not on Hydaelyn.

During the 11 crossover event with Shantotto she specifically stated that she plane-hopped. So no, we're not on a thousands-of-years-later Vana'diel.

These are the answers you seek - FFXI and FFXIV are set in totally different worlds, as are all FF games. The developers confirmed this in a past 'Letter from the Producer LIVE' video back in 2013 (the transcript for which has since disappeared sadly, but this was the link):

Q55: There are a lot of names from Ivalice such as Dalmasca, Belias, and Zodiak that have been mentioned, is there some connection between Hydaelyn and Ivalice?

A55: To be absolutely clear, there is no connection between FFXIV’s Hydaelyn and FFXII’s Ivalice. Likewise there is no connection with FFXI’s Vana’diel. Each are their own individual world. Based on this, there are connections between the things that appear in the world, and we’ll be revealing more in the future.

As for why FFXIV shares racial similarities with FFXI, it comes down to the fact that when the original version of FFXIV (version 1.0) was still early in the design stage circa 2005/2006, there was a very early concept to actually have FFXIV succeed FFXI and thus move existing player character data between the two games, and thus the races had to be similar.

Naturally this idea was quickly discovered to be virtually unworkable and the whole concept was abandoned very early on, but the development team (led by FFXI's producer Hiromichi Tanaka) decided to continue to use FFXI's races in FFXIV but tweaked slightly and given different lore to provide some 'familiarity' for players while making them unique enough, hoping to attract FFXI players into the new game.

This is why like in FFXI in FFXIV 1.0 players could not play as a male miqo'te or female roegadyn, just like their FFXI cousins also being 'one gender'. That's it in a kuponutshell anyway.

[Cakekizy]

To add, there's no mention of Altana anywhere in FFXIV (instead, we have The Twelve)... and the devs have confirmed that Vana'diel (or was it Ivalice) is not on Hydaelyn.

Ivalice was FF XII.

[Assirra]

Every Final fantasy is always based in another universe. (bar the sequels ofc)

[Jacosta]

Every Final fantasy is always based in another universe. (bar the sequels ofc)

^^^This!
/10char