'Final Fantasy XIV' Reaches New Record With 5 Million Registered Users

FF XIV party — A party poses dramatically in "Final Fantasy XIV: A realm Reborn." http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/

“Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” has reportedly reached another milestone, as the popular online game by Square Enix now has five million registered users. While the game’s numbers are not as impressive as that of “World of Warcraft” by Blizzard, it is still a landmark accomplishment for the online game, which recently landed in South Korea.

What makes the accomplishment even bigger is the fact that “Final Fantasy XIV” already surpassed four million users back in February, according to a report from GameSpot. The big increase in registered users could be linked to the game’s recent launch on the PlayStation 4, and its first expansion pack released in June, called “Heavensward.”

Interestingly enough, Square Enix has stated that the free trials given for the game are not part of the five million registered users. This means that the users, who are part of the game’s success, are actually paying monthly subscriptions for the title, which shows how popular the online game has become.

Prior to its relaunch as “A Realm Reborn,” the online title actually had some troubled history. According to Destructoid, the original “Final Fantasy XIV” was released back in 2010 but was filled with bugs and errors. Due to the game’s failure, Square Enix scrapped the game’s original team and shut the online title down in 2012. Soon enough, the game was relaunched for the PC and PlayStation 3, and became a success for critics and online game enthusiasts.

The news regarding the five million registered users is a big one for Square Enix, as the company has decided to focus on online games and mobile titles. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the company’s biggest source of revenue was online games and mobile games, which led to the company changing its focus.

Fans interested in the successful online game can pick up “Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” for the PC, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on retail and online stores. The game’s expansion pack “Heavensward” is also available for purchase.