![[Nintendo Switch] Review of The Operator](https://www.gamerfrontier.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nintendo-Switch-Review-of-The-Operator-360x180.jpg "[Nintendo Switch] Review of The Operator")
Alright, let’s dive in. So, way back—like eight years before FF14 even saw the light of day—Final Fantasy 11 was the big kid on the block as the first online outing for the RPG series everyone loves. Honestly, it’s wild to think about the features that made FF14 so popular. They were all hanging out in FF11 first: customizing your own character, engaging in real-time battles, riding on your very own chocobo. FF11 kind of handed over the reins to FF14, yet it’s still kicking, gearing up to blow out the candles on its 23rd birthday soon.
You’d think a game as old as FF11 would be left in the dust, but nah. It’s not just some relic to brush aside. This thing debuted in 2002 and was the first cross-platform RPG. It even outstayed its console welcome! Fans of FF14 might sniff at it, thinking it’s yesterday’s papers, but honestly, 2025 might be prime time to dive back into its world, Vana’diel. No kidding.
The game world itself, despite no big updates since 2015, saw a resurrection of sorts starting in 2020. New stories, frequent updates—you name it. And it’s still rolling out regular events. They’ve got this anniversary shindig going on right now. Also, that old-school PlayOnline login nonsense? It’s been, well, not ditched, but bypassed. Players can switch to Square Enix accounts, which kinda lets them hop in for free if they were on board before May 13, 2025.
Apparently, it almost got the ax in 2024, per game director Yoji Fujito. There’s talk of putting it into maintenance mode or, worse yet, pulling the plug if player numbers dropped. But the fanbase hung around like faithful dogs, convincing Square Enix to keep the content train rolling.
Interestingly, the love goes both ways between FF11 and FF14. FF11 players get to mix things up now—you can change your race, which feels kinda similar to FF14’s Fantasia bottles. And FF14’s recent stuff, like the Echoes of Vana’diel Raids, tips its hat back to FF11. Whether you’re an FF14 fanatic or an FF11 loyalist, there’s something to enjoy across both worlds.
Honestly, who knows how long FF11 will keep the servers running? But the mere fact that it’s still here, powered by a devoted bunch, means it’s worth a shot—even today. It might not be everyone’s jam, showing its age here and there, but some late bloomers might find it charming in its quirks. Even if you haven’t checked in for years, there’s no time like now to jump in.
