Highlights

  • Square Enix will restart auto-demolition for unused in-game housing in Final Fantasy 14's Japan servers on July 16, 2024.
  • Players struggling to secure a home due to limited housing slots should be aware of the auto-demolition system in place.
  • Server congestion and gameplay activity are key factors in protecting housing spots in Final Fantasy 14.

Square Enix has announced that it will restart the timer for the auto-demolition of unused in-game housing in Final Fantasy 14's Japan servers. Housing auto-demolition in Final Fantasy 14 had been suspended back in January 2024 following the devastating real-life earthquake and tsunamis at the Noto Peninsula in Japan, which resulted in loss of life and massive displacement in the area.

In-game housing in Final Fantasy 14 is notoriously difficult to attain, as aside from exorbitant purchase prices, players have to "win" the chance to buy a home in a lottery. With millions of players in the game and a relatively limited amount of housing slots available, the odds of securing a home are frustratingly slim even if one has enough gil to pay for one. Fortunately, auto-demolition protects against inactive players hoarding land, making them forfeit estates they haven't visited in 45 days. The auto-demolition timer will start, and players will have 15 more days to enter their house before it's gone.

the key art for ffxiv dawntrail
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In a new announcement, Square Enix states that the suspended auto-demolition in Japanese servers will finally resume at the launch of Patch 7.01 on July 16, 2024. This is the first patch after the release of the new Final Fantasy 14 expansion Dawntrail. Players who have entered their estates during the suspension of auto-demolition will enjoy a fully reset timer, while those who did not visit at all will see their countdowns resume with the remaining duration from when it was paused on January 4, 2024. Square Enix warns that there's no exact time for the demolition on the day given, so homeowners should enter their properties as soon as they can.

The Issues Surrounding Housing in Final Fantasy 14

While Square Enix constantly extends grace to Final Fantasy 14 homeowners in the wake of real-life events and disasters, the issue of housing remains a struggle for many players. The lack of available estates is really because of the sheer load that the current housing slots and instances already place on the game's servers, which simply cannot keep up with its vast player base.

In fact, server congestion itself in Final Fantasy 14 is already a major issue that the developer seems to be prioritizing first, especially with the huge upcoming launch of Dawntrail at the end of June. Similar to homeowners who don't visit, players who idle for more than 30 minutes will be disconnected from the server while activity is increased during Dawntrail's peak season. It seems the answer is simple for anyone who doesn't want to lose any spots in Final Fantasy 14: keep playing and staying engaged with the game.