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One genre I can’t seem to escape is the MMO one. I don’t say that in a bad way. Some of my fondest gaming memories come from these enormous games. I’ve met friends, attended virtual weddings, experienced a lot of guild drama, and even joined some groups that tackle a new raid on day one. These titles have a way of providing experiences that no other game can. In 2024, I jumped between the two that are currently fighting for the MMO crown, which are WoW and FFXIV. After spending hundreds of hours in both, I realized how this year might be the most important for both games in terms of learning and preparing for the future.
World of Warcraft in 2024
Let me start with the game that got me hooked on the genre: World of Warcraft. I’m sure I’m not the only one that started their MMO journey in Azeroth. Many of us have seen the Northshire Abbey more times than we’ve seen some of our relatives in real life. I could ask anyone to give me a detailed description of their neighborhood, and chances are you’ll be able to better describe the layout of the Barrens, pre- and post-Cataclysm. And that’s perfectly fine because WoW truly has a world that you enjoy exploring. From the starting areas of the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor to the cosmic trainwreck of Shadowlands and the gorgeous zones of Khaz Algar, everything is highly memorable. Yet, that doesn’t mean these lands have been without strife, and I’m not talking about the game’s setting.
We’re all familiar with the WoW exodus. The veil broke in Azeroth, and players moved on to the Eorzean coast. This was a dark time for the legendary MMO. Yet, the team behind it didn’t give up. They brought a fantastic expansion that, as many put it, returned WoW to its roots and paved the way for a successful 2024 with The War Within. So, how was this year for those returning to Azeroth? I’d say it was pretty good.
The War Within kicked off the World Soul saga with a more cohesive story, albeit with a few narrative issues still (more on that later). Hero talents provided some class identity that most of us missed since Legion days, and the endgame content, while a bit tedious and chore-y, has been some of the most fun the game has had, at least for casual players. Overall, I’d say it’s been a win if we look at the larger picture. However, there are still a few things that WoW needs to work on as it bids farewell to 2024.
FFXIV in 2024
After leaving my army of alts behind in Shadowlands, I moved to FFXIV, and it became my favorite game ever. I’d say I’m biased toward it, but the truth is that FFXIV had a rough 2024. First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Dawntrail. I was extremely excited about the expansion. I’ve mentioned before how, as a Latino, I felt over the moon when stepping into Tuliyollal. It was a dream come true. However, there were many issues that sadly pushed me away from the MMO I call home, which is something that never occurred before.
I’m all for the start of a new story. Finishing a 10-year arc is no easy feat. Besides, and in my humble opinion, Endwalker was a fantastic expansion and my personal favorite, even if I think Shadowbringers was way better. Naturally, the pressure of surpassing the Hydaelyn versus Zodiark arc was high. Thus, Creative Studio III decided to go for a fresh start, giving our Warriors of Light a chance to become adventurers again, and well, it was a mixed bag of feelings.
For starters, the story, which I’ll delve into later, had the usual pacing issues, if not worse. However, the combat scenarios, such as dungeons and raids, have been some of the best the game has seen. The graphical update was pretty good, too, and nothing compared to whatever is happening with SWTOR nowadays. All in all, I’d say FFXIV had more highs than lows in 2024, but sadly, the bumps it had on its road are some players won’t forget soon. So, the pressure is even higher for Naoki Yoshida and his team.
The Things WoW Can Learn From FFXIV
Since I jumped between these two MMOS almost at the same time, I started noticing some things I liked from one that the other lacked, and well, I’d like to start with what WoW needs from FFXIV. For starters, the storytelling. Ironically, WoW has some of the best lore out there. It’s easy to understand, and the deeper you dive into it, the more allured you feel towards it. However, the way the game tells it is not the best.
In a way, WoW has improved the cinematic feel in its expansions. Your character isn’t a background soldier anymore, most of the time. They interact at least a little bit more. Yes, Anduin, Thrall, and other characters still have the spotlight, but our adventurers feel a bit more part of the story now, but it isn’t quite there yet.
One situation that comes to mind is at the end of Dragonflight. You have an Avengers assemble moment where you fight alongside some of Azeroth’s greatest heroes. It is one of the most epic fights in the whole MMO and one that pumped me in ways I didn’t think WoW could pull off. After the fight, however, you return to being the side character you always were and start serving food to the people who fought alongside you.
World of Warcraft Needs To Find a Way to Make Our Characters Feel Relevant
This is where it hit me: World of Warcraft needs to find a way to make our characters feel relevant. Take FFXIV, for example. Every trailer we get for an expansion has scenes that are playable later in the game. We see the Warrior of Light in the trailer fighting against a two-headed creature, and guess what? Your character experiences that inside of the game. Those details are what make you feel that your character is part of the story and not just a cardboard tree in the background.
But that’s not all. The War Within, while it has a better and more compelling story, still commits this sin. You have Alleria and Anduin carrying the story more than our characters. Yes, it makes sense. Alleria is about to go full Tyrande, and Anduin has his Light dysfunction. But there should be a way to make our characters feel involved in that instead of just being the guys who gather items, kill foes, enter dungeons, and just for the other heroes to steal the spotlight.
In truth, this might not be a deal-breaker for some. After all, WoW is more about the destination rather than the journey. This game tries to get you to the endgame door as fast as possible. And while some content is gated behind its story, it isn’t as important as in FFXIV. Still, for those who love WoW‘s lore or want to spend more time taking in every part of the game’s narrative, involving our characters a bit more would make a huge difference.
The Things FFXIV Can Learn From WoW
Moving on to FFXIV, boy, where to begin? I know it sounds like I’m being harsher with FFXIV, but that’s not the case. I want both MMOs to thrive, and I feel 14 really needs to find its footing again. Contrary to WoW, FFXIV has superb storytelling where your character is indeed the protagonist. Yes, you’re still mainly a weapon the Scions use, but you’re way more involved in the story. Take Endwalker, for example. The Scions start praying for you during the middle of the raid. At the end of it, you have a one-on-one fight against Zenos, and it even looks like your Warrior of Light is about to call it. That made almost the whole community cry, and it is something WoW hasn’t been able to pull off.
See, FFXIV is more about the journey than the destination. FFXIV takes you by the hand and takes you on an almost unforgettable journey. You meet NPCs with mostly deep backgrounds. You get to know about a zone’s culture and its people and feel part of the world. Then, it culminates in an epic ending in almost every expansion where you look back and see the footprints you left behind. No other MMO can do that, and that’s one of Final Fantasy 14‘s strongest points.
However, the destination is usually not the best. We all remember how the post-Endwalker content went. Zero is a fantastic character, and the plot involving her is good for the most part. But the actual playable content after that was a bit lackluster. I’m a huge Palace of the Dead fan, but in reality, I didn’t even feel that attracted to the new Deep Dungeon. Raids were great, but that final Alliance Raid boss was just a mix of every other boss we faced. It made sense narratively, but mechanically, it was too simple.
The Endgame Model of FFXIV is Becoming Stale
I will not say that World of Warcraft‘s endgame content is the best there is because it is subjective to the type of player one is. However, once I tried some of the weekly activities and saw how different they are in each zone, I realized how the endgame model of FFXIV is becoming stale.
Anyone who’s played at least one FFXIV expansion in 2024 or before can describe the patch model perfectly. The main story ends, and you get the first four raids. The next patch includes new Allied Society quests, a new dungeon, and a Trial, maybe high-end content like an Ultimate Raid, and that’s it. Yes, there are times when we get new things, like Criterion Dungeons or the new Chaotic Alliance Raid, but that’s it. Now, that’s not to say FFXIV is lacking content. I’d say it packs even more than other MMOs. Crafting, gathering, housing (if you have one), treasure maps, FATEs, the island we’ve all abandoned now, and more. And that’s talking about what is already there and not about what’s coming. Still, the model is starting to feel a bit predictable.
2025 Will Be an Important Year for Both MMOs
Looking back at 2024, WoW and FFXIV stood strong, with the former winning the race by a small margin. Dawntrail didn’t have a bad story, but its pacing was the biggest issue. In addition, the quest design behind the MSQ is just becoming too tedious. In WoW, you have different quest objectives that are highly dynamic most of the time. Final Fantasy 14 is stuck in its “talk to this NPC 20 times” quest formula, and it is becoming old.
On the other hand, WoW still can’t hit those high notes on storytelling. Yes, it is a bit better and more cohesive now. But it still lacks that “wow” factor (no pun intended). It is nice that the game wants everyone to enjoy the max-level content, but it usually forgets about the ones who want to take everything in. Some characters feel flat and predictable, and your adventurer never feels like a protagonist. Fortunately, the gameplay makes up for all of that.
So, with 2024 saying farewell, how can WoW and FFXIV prepare for what’s to come? Well, that might be a difficult answer to give, especially as someone who’s outside of the game development aspect. But I feel that looking at the other game’s strengths will help dramatically.
If WoW had the storytelling presentation of FFXIV, it’d be great. If FFXIV had the dynamism of the endgame content of WoW, it’d be amazing. However, that sounds like a wild fever dream because, let’s face it, there isn’t a perfect MMO for everyone, and there will never be one. We all have different tastes and playstyles, but the great thing is that these games offer something for all gamers.
Post-Expansion Content Is Key To Keep Players Around
With the initial release of The War Within and Dawntrail for WoW and FFXIV, respectively, now leaving alongside 2024, it’s time to look at the future. For starters, post-expansion content is key to keeping players around. FFXIV already had its 7.1 patch, and it was a bit underwhelming. The MSQ didn’t fix the complaints most had with the 7.0 MSQ, and the endgame content wasn’t enough to keep players around. WoW 11.1 is coming, but a few things aren’t looking so hot. Raid tier sets involve a lot of RNG, and the eternal struggle of class imbalance is still present. Yet, we’ll have to wait and see how the actual launch goes.
Should You Play WoW or FFXIV in 2025?
I wanted to wrap this up with the eternal question of WoW versus FFXIV, especially with 2025 being already packed with upcoming games, and my answer is: try both. I know that’s the least informative answer ever, but as someone who jumps between Eorzea and Azeroth, I enjoy both. WoW gives me some quick rushes of dopamine and has a lot of endgame content I can try at any time. I love doing delves alone and leveling different classes while also working on some World Quests and trying raiding on my main. However, FFXIV is there whenever I want high-quality storytelling, better-looking armor sets and outfits, and group content without the fear of getting kicked by making a small mistake in a dungeon.
In all seriousness, though, both games have their strengths, and they should learn from each other. Both are making fantastic progress but still need a lot of work. As someone who loves the two, I know asking all these things sounds a bit impossible, but it never hurts to dream, does it? If WoW had a better narrative, I know I would enjoy my time with it more instead of just waiting for the weekly reset. If FFXIV had better endgame content, I would try to become a hardcore raider or something else to stick around between patch releases. Will that happen? It’s uncertain. But what’s certain is that both games are fantastic in their own way, and I’m glad to have two worlds I can visit at any time that provide me with vastly different yet unforgettable experiences.
