FFXIV Director Yoshi-P Vows Legal Action on '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 a certain radius, transmitting it to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This exposed information typically inaccessible through in-game tools, notably "Content ID" and "Account ID," enabling cross-character tracking. This exploited the Content ID system introduced in the Dawntrail expansion, originally designed for player blacklisting.

Opting out required joining the Playerscope Discord server. Essentially, any player outside this server was potentially having their data scraped, raising serious privacy concerns. Community backlash was swift, with many calling the mod's purpose "to stalk people."

After the mod's source code surfaced on GitHub, leading to a surge in popularity, it was removed due to Terms of Service violations. While attempts to locate it on alternative platforms like Gittea and Gitflic proved unsuccessful, the possibility of its continued circulation in private communities remains.

Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, addressed the situation on the game's official forum, acknowledging the mod and its potential to expose internal account IDs. He stated that the development team is considering requesting removal and pursuing legal action. Yoshida reassured players that sensitive account information like addresses and payment details could not be accessed via this method.

He urged players to avoid using third-party tools, highlighting their violation of the User Agreement and potential threat to player safety. While tools like Advanced Combat Tracker and websites like FFlogs are commonly used, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.

Community Reaction

The community's response to Yoshida's statement was largely critical. Many questioned the lack of focus on addressing the underlying vulnerabilities that allowed the mod to function, suggesting that fixing the game's data exposure would be a more effective solution than legal action alone. The Playerscope creator has yet to comment publicly.