Square Enix was hoping that when Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn was launched it would prove to be a smash hit, however, the game has become more popular than the developer ever believed possible, causing significant server overload issues. In fact, the game is so overcrowded that Square Enix has halted sales of the digital version of the game until the problem is solved. For those locked out of the game, Square Enix has announced how they will attempt to make up for the failure through extending the free period players get with the game.
Square Enix addressed fans directly on a post on Lodestone, explaining why the game is having problems, and how overcrowding has caused the login and character creation problems also reported:
"Since the beginning of official service on Aug. 27, 2013, the number of users attempting to access the game has significantly exceeded our initial estimates. While we are pleased to see support for the game reach far beyond our expectations, the servers were not prepared to handle this influx of players. As a result, our servers have been pushed beyond maximum capacity. In order to allow access to as many users as possible, we have implemented login and character creation restrictions. We understand, however, that these restrictions have greatly inconvenienced our players."
The company also explains that, as a peace offering to scorned fans, players will be able to play the game for free for an extra week, in addition to the month long free trial that buyers already received:
"Because login and character creation restrictions have hindered our ability to provide quality service, all FINAL FANTASY XIV service accounts will receive an additional seven days of free play time. Furthermore, users who have yet to enter their registration codes will receive an additional seven-day trial should they register before 11:59 p.m. (PDT) on Sept. 9, 2013. Moving forward, we will continue monitoring the servers to ensure that quality service and support are provided in a timely manner."
While many were worried that Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn would suffer a similar fate to the original version of Final Fantasy 14, it looks as though the game itself is fairly solid. However, Square Enix found a different way to botch the launch of the game by not being prepared for the rush of users that have flocked to the game. Considering that the game had 1 million users in the beta program, Square Enix should have prepared better for the game's launch.