15 Years of WoW vs 1 Year of FFXIV

I'm often asked about the differences between WoW and FFXIV, so I decided to make a video detailing what sets each game apart from the other.
Special thank you to everyone who helped me on stream with script writing, to all the fans of both games who gave me feedback, and to the amazing youtubers who's clips I've used. They can be found in order below:

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#FinalFantasyXIV #WorldofWarcraft #WoWvsFFXIV

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
04:59 - Content
19:25 - Gameplay
23:46 - Visuals
25:42 - Music
29:12 - Community
34: 56 - A Gentlemanly Conclusion

[nahhfam]

After the opening cutscene and arriving in Limsa for my first ever mmo, there was a guy standing in front of the first intro quest. He ran up to me and offered me an item, just a cookie with the message "extra xp when eat" he waved goodbye and went back to the same spot to wait for next new player. 50 levels later i decided to pay it forward, bought some cookies and went to the spot to do the same thing for the next batch of new players.

[joshuayung]

I think for whatever reason 14 and it's community is much more cognizant with regards to casual players. As a sprout, I duty findered into the Garuda main storyline fight. Not wanting to hold the team up, I skipped the cutscene and got ready to tank, figuring I'd watch it at an inn. The white mage had noticed the message saying we had someone in the group experiencing this mission for the first time, and knowing that said cutscene was fairly long, asked if there were new players here. I told them I was new and while I was interested in the story, I also didn't want to waste people's time. At which point the entire group of randoms chimed in to tell me that it's etiquette in the game to let people watch the raid cutscenes, and anyone who wanted to rush in without waiting for the group deserved whatever they got.

So that was pretty nice.

[HippoMustache]

14 is actually the only game I've ever felt comfortable enough to play roles other than DPS.
When you're a sprout healer or tank, wipes don't get you yelled at, they typically get you advice.
3 years in as a White Mage main, nothing makes me smile like helping a sprout through Haukke Manor for the first time, or to clear their first Nidhogg.
In 14, everyone is paying the patience and kindness forward because we've all been there.

[briezevaa]

I'm a sprout along with 2 other friends and we entered a dungeon that is notoriously difficult. But we wanted to unlock it to get the minion drop. We got in and a random tank joined us.... and we wiped twice before even getting to the first boss. Then we wiped 2 more times on the first boss. I fully expected the tank to leave but he stuck with us, gave us some advice and made a small plan. And we killed the first boss and managed to complete the dungeon without dying again. I remember being SO surprised that he stayed and was even nice about the whole thing.
You best believe we all gave him a commendation before we left

[nogitsune]

Fun fact, one of my close friends legit was sad to lose her sprout next to her name.
"Now people will expect me to know what I'm doing,
She's adorable.

[ThatOneVideoGamer]

Great video Jesse! We've talked so much about this, it's great to see it all come together.

[riverstyx]

This morning on Christmas Eve, I saw something that made me really think about the differences between the FFXIV community and WoW's. Around six people in an FC were holding an impromptu Christmas concert in Limsa with the in-game musical instruments. They were *very* good, and everyone just sat around politely and listened, cheering/applauding between songs and generally having a good time. It struck me that if this happened in WoW, there would almost certainly be a group of assholes spamming AOEs or loud emotes to ruin it. It was a tiny thing, but it was one of the more wholesome things I've witnessed in a video game.

[astaroththedaeva]

Having recently started Final Fantasy 14, I was absolutely BAFFLED by the kindness of the community. I was new, learning to tank. Not only did some random guy give me pointers DURING the entire dungeon he found me in, but also added me as a friend, and sent me links to various useful bits of info regarding tanking, enmity, tinctures and other such stuff I needed to know. He offered also to induct me into his Free Company if I ever needed a crew, but if not, I was welcome to call him up whenever he was online to give me pointers or even teach me difficult content. And this kindness didn't stop with him. I had just finished Heavensward and figured I would work on some glamour to try and be pretty while making my way through Stormblood. Ya know, get my whole style nailed down. Some girl saw me dicking about with my glamour, told me she though some jeans would make the outfit look even better, and gifted me a set of jeans (which I later found out came from ENDGAME CONTENT). Just out of the blue. Like, bro, I have not had a SINGLE bad encounter with the community and it is incredible.

[PlatinumWoW]

As a person that only plays WoW this was super interesting, like FFXIV is some weird parallel universe. Deeply wish WoW focused more on it's storytelling because it has such an awesome universe filled with potential.

[JoCat]

what a great thing to listen to while doing dailies

[barbarica]

"The WOW player base seems always ready to attack their own game, even while loving it. The FFXIV Community is always trying to defend their game, even if it doesn't need it." That perfectly defines everything.

[ironbutterfly]

My first thirty minutes playing FF14 after 14 years of wow, I was given Gil, food, gear and a puppy dog!
Literally strangers walked up and offered gifts.
Now that I’m 80 I also hang out in stArting zones and pay back!! It feels great!

[jimi_jams]

I'm a long time veteran of WoW, I have recently dipped my toe into FFXIV, and one thing that really stands out to me in FFXIV is that every city feels so alive, due to how the game makes players go back to the various cities for their story, a constant bustle of players at varying stages of their games. If it's not the current expansion city, or your faction's capital city, it's lifeless in WoW.

[themouselady]

FFXIV will forever hold a special place in my heart. I initially tried the game out 2 separate times about 3 years ago with an old IRL friend who had a lot of experience in the game, and they kinda ruined the "sprout experience" for me even though they were just trying to be helpful. They had me skip cutscenes to get caught up quicker, and since I had no clue what was going on in the story, I lost interest both times and stopped playing. About a month ago, I gave the game another shot and I'm absolutely in love with it now. I started over on a new character, and of course read all the text now, and watch all the cutscenes and love the story. But the major thing that makes this game so special to me is because from all the reading you have to do in the game, it made me fall in love with reading. I struggled with reading comprehension and didn't have the ability to retain what I read very often. This game changed that for me, improved my reading comprehension and genuinely gave me the ability to find joy in reading and immersing myself in the game/world. Not to mention all of the wholesome players who are incredibly patient, kind, and helpful. I've played ESO, BDO, and a little bit of WoW but nothing compares to FFXIV to me. If you took the time to read this, thank you <3 Some people may find it "cringey" that I give a game so much credit, but it truly changed my life for the better and I could never express how grateful I am for that.

[pandorawolf]

It was fun once, during my early days of final fantasy during heavensward when i just started. A guy was badmouthing me in an full party. He got kicked by the group and the rest taught me the fight. Still remember that moment clearly. And honestly it was refreshing. And it breeds good will as it makes you want to help the next sprout as well through actions like these.

[EtcEtcEtcFilms]

Jesses enthusiasm in his new videos are palpable. As a long time viewer, I’m so glad! Nice goin Cox.

[sidereon]

I'll always remember the time I was struggling with a dungeon in ffxiv and one of the more experienced members of my party straight up made me gear after the fight. Literally the best I could've had equipped for that level. I had never even met that person before. Since then I started leveling different crafters so that one day hopefully I'll be able to do the same for another struggling sprout

[neh]

Wait, I've just started this game and I've loved every second of the first 50 levels or so. Are you telling me it gets even better?!

[roberttompkins]

The community is the biggest difference for me. I played WoW back in the day as a Paladin healer I can remember making a mistake and just getting "shouted" and cussed down into a hole, getting threatened by random strangers etc. In FFXIV I went into a dungeon as a healer made a mistake and we wiped and I instantly flinched waiting to be shouted at and cussed out. Instead the party was just like, our bad it is a complicated fight and you haven't done it before, we should have explained it to you. They explained it to me the next go around we did better, the third time we beat it and it was good. The only time I remember anyone getting upset is on an extreme Titan fight when we were wiping a lot. Even then you could tell people were frustrated but it never devolved into name calling and threats.

[ZeplaHQ]

This was the one of the best, most rational comparisons of both games I've ever seen! I am blown away by the work you put into this. Honestly, thank you for putting this out there!

I think our experiences have been really similar, having both spent a good chunk of our lives playing WoW, & now finding FF14 to be fun and refreshing experience. I know it's not for everyone - most valuable art doesn't suit all tastes, and the same is true in gaming. But I am happy to hear you've had such a good time so far.:)