Square Enix has temporarily stopped selling the Final Fantasy XIV Mac client since the poor communication of system requirements and widespread disappointment with performance. Square Enix states that they will offers refunds to players.
Having spent the better part of two years using alternative methods such as Boot Camp to run Final Fantasy XIV on their systems, Mac had been clamoring for a Mac-native client for ages. The long-awaited software was launched late last month to coincide with the release of Heavensward, the MMORPG’s first major expansion pack. Problems arose immediately.
For one, the Mac client is essentially the Windows client in a wrapper that tells the Mac how to handle the Windows functions. With that additional layer involved there was no way the Mac client could compete with simply using Boot Camp to run Windows on a Mac and using the regular old game client.
Retailers began selling and shipping the Mac version of the client prior to its official launch on June 23, during which time performance was still being optimized. Far more problematic was the fact that the official system requirements for the Mac client were not published until after launch. Users who had preordered the software had no idea whether or not their systems could run it properly, having based their purchase off incorrect speculative system requirements released prior.
In a lengthy letter to fans posted late last week, Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida takes direct responsibility for allowing the Mac client to be released in such a state. 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 apologize to you all.
Square Enix repeatedly apologized and indicated that they decided to offer full refunds to purchaser. Many players who purchased a product which Mac hardware could not run at even the minimum system requirements have expressed their dissatisfaction. “If they provided accurate information beforehand, I would not have purchased the Mac version”, they said.