5 Dying Games Saved by Hail Mary Publisher Moves
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV, in its original form, was a complete disaster. Originally released in 2010, it was panned for its gameplay and general design. The reception was so poor that Square Enix thought it was best to close the game down and relaunch it to regain players’ trust.
A new director, Naoki Yoshida, was put in charge or the rework and once it returned, gameplay and the structure was drastically improved. A job system, a revamped battle system, greater customization options for gear, and new bosses were all added to the game, making it significantly more popular.
Rebooted in 2013 under the subtitle, A Realm Reborn, the game was given a completely new lease of life, and it has since become extremely popular. Since then, new content has gradually been added to improve the game, and Square Enix was committed to regaining the trust of players after the poor initial launch.
