In an interview with Japanese outlet Dengeki Online, which was subsequently reported on by media outlet Automaton, it was revealed that Square Enix considered shutting down Final Fantasy XI in 2024. However, Square Enix ended up walking back on that decision thanks to player interest and requests to keep the twenty-year-old MMORPG running.
Final Fantasy XI Producer and Director Yoji Fujito revealed that in 2024, that the MMORPG was on the cusp of being put into “maintenance mode,” which meant that the team would only maintain the game without further updates. But there was also the possibility that the game would shut down entirely.
However, despite the team feeling as though the MMORPG would lose steam after The Voracious Resurgence, players insisted that it should continue to receive more content. And because of player support, Final Fantasy XI will continue to receive new content and updates. Square Enix will also update the infrastructure for the MMORPG sometime in the future.
In the past, Square Enix even encouraged Final Fantasy XIV players to give its sister MMORPG a whirl. This was mostly to curb the influx of players before and during the release of a new expansion. While Final Fantasy XI does have a free trial, it isn’t nearly as generous as Final Fantasy XIV. In January 2025, a Square Enix survey revealed that players overwhelmingly asked for the subscription price for Final Fantasy XI to be lowered.
