Crippling technical issues and a miscommunication have left Square Enix no choice but to suspend sales of Final Fantasy XIV on Mac, with Game Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida taking responsibility for the blunder.
Launching for Mac on June 23, early adopters soon encountered an array of bugs and game-breaking glitches, despite the fact that their own hardware was on par – if not more technically capable – than the Windows client. Yoshida offered a candid explanation for the mishandling on Square’s official blog, stating that the incorrect system requirements for Mac were released amid “the chaos” leading up to Final Fantasy XIV‘s maiden expansion pack, Heavensward.
Here’s what Yoshida had to say in an open message to fans.
“While the development and operations teams, as well as our entire company, were involved in this mistake, it was I who ultimately made the decision to release the Mac version under these circumstances and therefore bear sole responsibility, and I sincerely apologise to you all.
“Because of this situation, many of you purchased a product which your Mac hardware could not run at even the minimum system requirements, resulting in insufficient performance, for which many of you have expressed your dissatisfaction. Had we provided accurate information beforehand, I know many of you would not have purchased the Mac version, which is why we decided to offer full refunds. Once again, I apologise.”
It’s understood that those affected will be entitled to full refunds, and Square Enix has already established a portal for Mac users to apply. The company went on to state that third-party retailers will accept refunds of Final Fantasy XIV, and Square is working in tandem to ensure that the entire ordeal goes over as smoothly as possible.
Customer satisfaction is evidently critical to Square Enix, particularly when you consider that budding Mac users have been clamouring for a port of the studio’s MMO for years – even running the title on alternative clients such as Boot Camp as a surrogate.
Tell us, have you been impacted by these Final Fantasy XIV Mac-centric issues? Let us know below.
