Players like to vent their frustrations about games online, and that’s their right when it’s all impersonal. Write angry social media posts, be my guest, scribble a bad review on Steam. But when you’re attacking a developer on their personal social media page, things have gone too far. Square Enix is cracking down on such harassment in the court of law, deanonymizing one player who was harassing its developers and forcing them to apologize. The Final Fantasy 14 developer promises to “take strict measures” against further instances.
Whether the player in question sent their Final Fantasy 14 grievances directly to devs or targeted specific people with attacks from behind a guise of pseudonymous safety is unclear. Square Enix hasn’t announced the full details of the harassment other than that it was committed on a “video-sharing site,” but its response should deter others from typing before they think.
The Japanese company went to court to request the poster’s information, which was granted. The harasser has taken the videos down already, given Square an official apology, and paid compensation of an undisclosed amount.
“Regarding our response to harassment against our officers and employees, we are pleased to report that we have identified the poster who uploaded a video containing content that damaged the social reputation of our company and those involved with Final Fantasy 14 on a video-sharing site, and have reached a settlement that includes an apology from the poster, payment of compensation, and a prohibition against similar acts in the future,” Square Enix wrote in an official announcement, which has been machine translated.
“This matter was resolved after we requested disclosure of the poster’s information, which was granted by the court, and we held discussions with the individual in question. As of the time of this announcement, the video and the poster’s account have already been taken down.
“We sincerely value the feedback, opinions, and requests we receive from our customers and use them as fuel to deliver better entertainment,” it continues. “On the other hand, we consider acts of harassment against our officers and employees, such as personal attacks, defamation, threats, threats of harm, and threats of business obstruction, to be a serious problem that threatens the safety of our officers and employees and undermines an environment in which they can work with peace of mind.
“We have a responsibility to maintain a workplace environment in which our officers and employees can work safely and securely, and we will continue to take strict measures, including legal action, against all malicious acts of harassment related to the provision of all products and services.”
This sets a strong precedent for potential future trolls. Square Enix was able to obtain the legal right to deanonymize a user’s social media profile, and take action from there. Whether or not the person in question could be prosecuted in a court of law is another question, but it might force people to think twice before targeting developers with their abusive messages.
Final Fantasy 14 is currently teasing its 7.5 patch, ahead of the potential reveal of its new expansion at Fan Fest Anaheim later this week. Whether you think the game is going in the right direction or not, just remember that there may be repercussions if you send abuse to the developers online.
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