Final Fantasy 14 Director Yoshi-P Threatens Legal Action Against 'Stalking' Mod

In early 2025, a Final Fantasy XIV mod ignited concerns about player stalking after reports surfaced detailing its ability to harvest concealed player data. This included sensitive information such as character details, retainer information, linked alternate characters on Square Enix accounts, and more.

The mod, "Playerscope," enabled users to track the data of players in their vicinity. This data was then relayed to a central database maintained by the mod's creator, regardless of whether a specific player was targeted or if the user simply happened to be near others. This exposed information players typically couldn't access through in-game features.

Critically, Playerscope revealed "Content ID" and "Account ID," facilitating cross-character player tracking. This exploited the Content ID system introduced with the Dawntrail expansion, designed to allow players to blacklist others across multiple characters and service accounts.

The only method to prevent data scraping was to join Playerscope's private Discord and opt out. Essentially, any Final Fantasy XIV player outside this Discord was potentially having their data harvested, posing a significant privacy risk. The community reacted strongly, with one Reddit commenter stating the mod's "purpose is obvious, to stalk people."

Weeks earlier, the mod's creator announced its presence on GitHub, leading to a surge in popularity. Subsequently, Playerscope was removed from GitHub due to terms of service violations, though it allegedly appeared on alternative platforms like Gittea and Gitflic. IGN confirmed the mod's absence from these alternatives, but acknowledged its potential continued circulation within private communities.

Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, addressed the situation on the game's official forum, directly referencing Playerscope. His statement acknowledged the existence of third-party tools accessing non-public character information, including internal account IDs used to link other characters on the same service account.

Yoshida stated that the development and operations teams were exploring options including requesting removal and deletion of the tool and pursuing legal action. He reassured players that while account details like addresses and payment information were a concern, they were not accessible through these tools.

He urged players to refrain from using third-party tools, prohibited by the Final Fantasy XIV User Agreement, and to avoid sharing information about their installation or distribution. He emphasized the firm stance against their use to maintain player safety.

While third-party tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used by the raiding community and integrated with sites like FFlogs, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.

Community Reaction:

The Final Fantasy XIV community's response to Yoshida's statement was critical. Players questioned the lack of consideration for addressing the underlying issue by modifying the game to prevent the mod's functionality. Others criticized the statement for failing to address the root cause of the problem. The Playerscope author has yet to comment.