Final Fantasy XI locks its biggest server away for newcomers as the 23-year-old MMO hits a new wave of popularity 

Square Enix’s 23-year-old MMORPG Final Fantasy XI has locked its biggest servers away from new players following a surprising spark in popularity. 

The MMO, which first launched in Japan in 2002 and received its most-recent expansion in 2020, has seen a new surge of players. As it turns out, the rapid rising player count is so high that the game’s biggest server is suffering from mass congestion. 

Final Fantasy XI sees huge player count

In a post to fans on the official Final Fantasy XI blog, the game’s third producer Yoji Fujito explained that newcomers will not be able to join the game’s Asura server for the time being as the team aims to provide a stable experience to longtime players. 

“Thanks to you, Final Fantasy 11 recently welcomed its 23rd year of service and continues to be enjoyed by numerous players around the globe,” the producer said in a statement. “In fact, thanks in part to players that are new to the game, as well as those that are returning home to Vana’diel after being away for a while, the overall player population has been trending upward recently.” 

Fujito explained that the massive rise in players over the past month has resulted in unexpected issues as well as server strain that is hindering the experience of existing fans. 

“The Development and Operations teams have been working hard to help all of you enjoy your gaming experience even more, but it has been discovered that the concentration of player populations on certain Worlds has led to a series of unexpected issues that have managed to affect the quality of that experience somewhat,” they said. 

As a result, players will no longer be able to transfer characters to the Asura server or make a new character for that server after July 29th. However, players who already use that specific server will be able to continue making characters and playing on the server without issue. 

Final Fantasy XI has seen a surge in players following the release of Final Fantasy XIV’s recent raids based on Echoes of Vana’diel. Not quite a collaboration event, the recent raids have seen a significant number of fans jump into the older MMORPG to give it a shot, and player counts are noticeably higher than before. There was also a Magic the Gathering collaboration, but that probably didn’t do all that much. 

Final Fantasy XI is still supported, although nowhere near as much as Final Fantasy XIV. While the MMO does have its rough spots, it’s a really fun time, and the fact that its last expansion was only five years ago proves how loved the game really is.