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 this information to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This data, inaccessible through official in-game tools, included "Content ID" and "Account ID," enabling cross-character tracking. This exploited the Content ID system introduced in the Dawntrail expansion, 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 significant privacy issues. Community reaction was swift and critical, with many labeling the mod's purpose as stalking.
After its initial appearance on GitHub, leading to a surge in popularity, Playerscope was removed due to terms of service violations. While allegedly mirrored on Gittea and Gitflic, IGN confirmed its absence from these platforms. However, its continued circulation within private communities remains a possibility.
He emphasized the prohibition of third-party tools under the Final Fantasy XIV User Agreement, urging players to avoid their use and refrain from sharing information about them. While tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used by the raiding community (often in conjunction with FFlogs), Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.
Community Response
The community's response to Yoshida's statement was largely negative. Players criticized the lack of consideration for fixing the game's vulnerabilities to prevent such mods, suggesting alternative solutions focusing on client-side data protection. The statement was widely viewed as insufficient in addressing the root problem. The Playerscope author has yet to comment.
