How has the game positively affected you?

[ReynTime]

Two things. It made me find people I belong to.

And it made me realise the kind of MMORPG I want no longer exists anywhere. Which is spun into a good thing because I can focus more on non MMOs, finite games instead.

Thankfully I no longer need XIV to be with my friends.

[Ayuhra]

Honestly I left the game off and on for quite a while and only came back to it last year so what it did for me was help keep sane me during lockdown which isn't nothing.

[FudoMyoo]

Bunk in and play FF14 with waifu, no need for date nights/movies/dinner.

Excellent money saver! w

My bank account has never been happier!

[Kaliesto]

I met some people I have become close friends with, and on a deep spiritual level as well.

They helped me get through some tough times.

[AziraSyuren]

It gives me a place to return to whenever my other hobbies get old. It's pretty much the most consistent and reliable source of entertainment (and social interaction to a lesser extent) in my life right now.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

FFXIV gave me an opportunity to indulge myself with activities that I enjoy & positively affecting my mental state.

Surprisingly I also save money by overall margin. Before covid strikes & during earlier months of pandemic, multiple of my hobbies are quite expensive (it adds up over time) vs. buying the game, paying the sub, sitting down and logs in to the world of Hydaelyn.

Who knows what will happen once everything goes back to normal! But I imagine I wouldn’t want to actively go back to old hobbies now that I’ve realized the cons lol. Maybe just once in a while

[Illmaeran]

FFXIV gave me an opportunity to indulge myself with activities that I enjoy & positively affecting my mental state.

Surprisingly I also save money by overall margin. Before covid strikes & during earlier months of pandemic, multiple of my hobbies are quite expensive (it adds up over time) vs. buying the game, paying the sub, sitting down and logs in to the world of Hydaelyn.

Who knows what will happen once everything goes back to normal! But I imagine I wouldn’t want to actively go back to old hobbies now that I’ve realized the cons lol. Maybe just once in a while

I hear that! I took up Warhammer 40K after giving up MMOs for a while and my wallet started punching me in the gut ever time I put it in my pocket. I'm back to XIV to save some money.

[Elissar]

This game improved my relation with my own patience and how i can be happy alone.

[Kolsykol]

I've been playing through NG+ to get ready for Endwalker, I skipped the story before.
The WoW mentality back when I started in ARR had just damaged me and I had the '' rush rush rush, endgame is everything '' mentality.
And then after that i thought '' what's even the point? '' for the rest because I thought I wouldn't be able to get it regardless without ARR and it just escalated.

I watched Asmongold play ARR tho and it wasn't as bad as I had heard, I had put NG+ off because of that earlier.
So I jumped into Heavensward and I am very close to Stormblood in late part 4.
The story has genuinely moved me many times and I am loving it far more than I expected and it has greatly increased my love for the game.
I was already happy to have a game like FFXIV that does so many things right before but it has only gotten better now with the story too.
Most Western games don't appeal to me at all and I've grown so disillusioned with most games.
FFXIV just reminds me of what I love about games and the story is genuinely great without relying on being a '' sad dad simulator '' or cashing in on trends or trying to imitate Hollywood.

[Gabadabs]

I get to kill big monsters and it's very fun.
I'd say that is a positive effect. :3
Also, I greatly enjoy glamours oh my god they are amazing.