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 due to reports of its ability to harvest sensitive player data. This included character details, retainer information, linked alternate characters, and more.

The mod, "Playerscope," tracked players' data within its vicinity, transmitting it to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This exposed information typically inaccessible through in-game features, including "Content ID" and "Account ID," allowing cross-character tracking. This exploited the Content ID system from the Dawntrail expansion, designed for player blacklisting.

Opting out required joining the Playerscope Discord; otherwise, data scraping was presumed to occur. The community reacted strongly, citing the mod's obvious potential for stalking.

After its initial appearance on Github, leading to a surge in popularity, Playerscope was removed due to Terms of Service violations. While it allegedly appeared on Gittea and Gitflic, IGN confirmed its absence from both. However, its continued presence in private communities remains a possibility.

Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, addressed the situation on the official forums, acknowledging Playerscope. His statement confirmed the existence of third-party tools revealing normally hidden character information, including internal account IDs used to link multiple characters.

Yoshida stated the development team was exploring options including removal requests and legal action. He reassured players that account details like addresses and payment information were inaccessible via these tools. He urged players to avoid third-party tools, refrain from sharing installation details, and emphasized the prohibition of such tools under the game's User Agreement.

While tools like Advanced Combat Tracker (commonly used with FFlogs) are prevalent, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.

Community Reaction:

The community's response was critical. Players questioned why fixing the game to prevent the mod's functionality wasn't considered, suggesting client-side data protection as a more effective solution. The statement was widely criticized for failing to address the underlying issue. The Playerscope author has yet to comment.