While they wait for the January release of FFXIV 6.3, the FFXIV VR mod developed by the community of modders Flat2VR allows players to see the world of Eorzea from a completely different angle. Final Fantasy 14 delivers a fascinating and beautiful world to explore and is already one of the best MMORPG games available. One of the best single-player MMOs, it is also full of endearing characters developed throughout its moving tale. There are also plenty of player-made big ladies and catgirls donning the sultry leggings of Nier: Automata heroine 2B, making it quite the sight to stroll about in.
Now you can explore the world of Final Fantasy XIV in full VR, courtesy of the Final Fantasy XIV VR mod alpha, which is out as of November 12. It’s important to stress up front, however, that the experience requires FFXIV Quick Launcher, which the developers admit is not in line with the game’s Terms of Service. They say that they don’t believe players should get in trouble for making use of it as long as they don’t publicly show themselves doing so (numerous FFXIV streamers have been temporarily suspended in recent months for streaming while using UI mods and graphical tweaks). However, we’d recommend exercising caution.
Despite the concerns around the safety of its use, there’s no question that the mod is an impressive feat. Fans of Final Fantasy 14 who have come to love every corner of its world over the years will no doubt be delighted to experience the immersion of exploring them in virtual reality. We’re also certain that plenty of you will relish the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of its cast members.
The mod offers support for both third-person and first-person play, although one of its creators notes that the first-person mode is somewhat experimental (and it generally isn’t a great way to play FFXIV anyway, though it is handy for inspecting all those wonderful glamours you come across). There’s also support for motion controls, though its initial release recommends making use of FFXIV’s excellent controller support due to an ongoing issue with the way mouse controls interact with the VR menus.
You’ll also need a fair amount of graphical oomph if you do want to try this out, as the team recommends you’ll need an RTX 3070 or equivalent card to maintain the stable 90 fps required to play VR while minimising potential motion sickness. While this initial release is just an alpha, the team says they have a huge roadmap planned – if nothing else, it’s certainly a gorgeous and impressive technical spectacle.
If you’re currently enjoying the FFXIV 6.25 patch, we’ve got everything you need to know to get your hands on the FFXIV Manderville weapons, as well as the horrifying truth of the FFXIV Silkie mount. Our ultimate guide to the FFXIV Island Sanctuary mode introduced in 6.2 will tell you everything you need to know about the farming game mode that’s taken Eorzea by storm.