Summary
Final Fantasy 14recently revealed that fans in every country except Japan prefer to use a mouse and keyboard to play the critically-acclaimed MMORPG. While this input style is popular across the globe, the majority ofFinal Fantasy 14players in Japan prefer to use gamepads and controllers instead.
As an MMO with full cross-platform compatibility,Final Fantasy 14features a robust control scheme for players on both gamepads and mouse and keyboard. Though there are ways to use controllers on the PC and mouse and keyboard on consoles, this is a vital accessibility feature so fans can enjoy the game without needing to purchase new peripherals for their preferred platform – though fans who do anyway might considerdesigning a custom controller after their favoriteFinal Fantasy 14job.
During a panel at PAX West,Final Fantasy 14lead UI designer Kei Adagiri revealed which of these input devices was used the most by fans across the globe. According to theFinal Fantasy 14statisticshe shared during the presentation, mouse and keyboard are much more popular in most places in the world, with 60% of NA players and 67% in Europe using them over controllers. However, Japan is the complete opposite, with a whopping 77% of fans choosing to use a gamepad instead.
Adagiri shared information about which character control setting players use in-game as well: Legacy or Standard. The former fully separates movement from the camera, allowing the character to fully turn around by moving backwards instead of backpedaling as they do in the latter. An overwhelming majority of fans across the globe prefer Legacy, with 65% of European, 69% of North American, and 97% of Japanese players using the system over the default Standard mode.
It is hard to say exactly why the disparity between input devices exists in Japan without further data. It could be that more fans playFinal Fantasy 14on PlayStation 4 or 5 there, as the console is extremely popular in its home country. Between a third and half of players are on console, with the number increasing even more as ofFinal Fantasy 14’s launch on Xbox, so the metrics for the other regions of the world seem to reflect a similar ratio. IfFinal Fantasy 14eventually releases on Nintendo systemsas director and producer Naoki Yoshida hopes, that number may shift even more.
That wasn’t the only topic Adagiri covered during this panel. He also revealedFinal Fantasy 14’s progress towards implementing several quality-of-life features, including chat bubbles, the raid planning strategy board, and improvements to gpose and screenshots. Players should expect to see these new improvements in some of Dawntrail’s post-launch patches either this year or next.
Final Fantasy 14 (2010)
WHERE TO PLAY
Begin your adventure in FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm RebornCreate your very own Warrior of Light and embark upon a quest to deliver the land from an eternity of Darkness.Take to the skies in FINAL FANTASY XIV: HeavenswardTake your first steps in the reclusive nation of Ishgard, locked in a seemingly never-ending struggle with dragons.Rekindle the fires of hope in FINAL FANTASY XIV: StormbloodJourney to the East and rise up against the might of the Garlean Empire.Become the darkness in FINAL FANTASY XIV: ShadowbringersTravel to a world where light ushers all unto oblivion. But hope is not yet lost, for where there is light there is shadow.Journey to the very stars above in FINAL FANTASY XIV: EndwalkerA great calamity has been building - a second advent of the Final Days. The Warrior of Light must journey ever higher and stand firm as hope’s last bastion.Set forth for new horizons in FINAL FANTASY XIV: DawntrailBlue seas, clear skies, and boundless possibilities await! Explore uncharted territories with familiar faces as hope’s light dawns once more.
