Final Fantasy XIV players affected by Hurricane Helene are receiving a temporary reprieve from the game’s housing demolition policy. Square Enix announced the suspension of the 45-day inactivity requirement for player housing, effective October 2nd, in response to the devastating hurricane that impacted the U.S. last week. This suspension applies to North American servers, specifically the Aether, Crystal, Dynamis, and Primal data centers.
Players whose homes were already scheduled for demolition before the announcement can prevent it by simply entering their house or performing any land-related activity. While no end date for the suspension has been announced, the inactivity counter will resume from where it left off once reinstated. For instance, a player at 30 days of inactivity when the suspension began will continue from the 30-day mark upon resumption.
In a brief statement, the Final Fantasy XIV development and management team expressed their sympathy for those affected by Hurricane Helene, stating, “From all of us on the FFXIV development and management team, our hearts go out to those who were affected late last month by Hurricane Helene in North America. It is our sincere hope that recovery is swift, and those of you who were affected will be able to rejoin us in FFXIV soon.”
Image showing the aftermath of a hurricane with damaged houses and flooded streets.
Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall last week, leaving a trail of destruction. CNN reported at least 128 confirmed fatalities across six states, with over 2 million people without power, making accessing online games like Final Fantasy XIV challenging for many.
This is not the first instance of Square Enix suspending the housing demolition timer. Similar measures were taken during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, following the Noto Peninsula earthquake earlier this year, and during the early access period of the Dawntrail expansion.
The temporary suspension of the housing demolition policy highlights Square Enix’s understanding of real-world events and their impact on players. This compassionate approach allows affected players to focus on recovery without the added concern of losing their in-game homes.
