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 that it could harvest hidden player data. This included sensitive information like character details, retainer information, linked alternate characters, and more.

The mod, "Playerscope," enabled users to track specific player data of anyone nearby. This data was then transmitted to a central database controlled by the mod's author, regardless of whether a specific player was targeted or if the user was simply in proximity to others. This tracked information players couldn't normally access via in-game tools.

Playerscope specifically accessed "Content ID" and "Account ID," allowing tracking across multiple characters. It exploited the Content ID system introduced in the Dawntrail expansion, originally designed to let players blacklist others across their service account and characters.

The only way to prevent data scraping was to join Playerscope's private Discord and opt out—theoretically leaving every Final Fantasy XIV player outside this Discord vulnerable. This significant privacy risk prompted strong community backlash, with one Redditor stating the mod's "purpose is obvious, to stalk people."

Weeks ago, the mod author revealed Playerscope's presence on GitHub, leading to a surge in popularity. Due to terms of service violations, it was subsequently removed from GitHub, though allegedly mirrored on Gittea and Gitflic. IGN verified the absence of Playerscope repositories on these alternative platforms; however, the mod might still circulate within private communities.

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

Yoshida stated the development and operations teams are exploring options: requesting removal and deletion of the tool and pursuing legal action. He reassured players that while account information like addresses and payment details were a concern, accessing this information via these tools isn't possible.

Yoshida emphasized the importance of a safe player environment, urging players to avoid third-party tools and refrain from sharing information about their installation or dissemination. He reiterated that their use violates the Final Fantasy XIV User Agreement and could compromise player safety. The company will maintain a firm stance against their use.

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.

The FF14 Community Responds

The community's response to Yoshida's statement was largely critical. One user commented on the lack of consideration for fixing the game's vulnerabilities to prevent such mods. Another questioned why Square Enix couldn't address the root cause by preventing client-side data exposure, suggesting resource constraints weren't a valid excuse. A further comment criticized the statement for failing to address the core issue.

The Playerscope author has yet to respond publicly.