The Nightlife in Final Fantasy 14 Helps People With Disability Enjoy Clubbing

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The critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 offers players the chance to star in an epic fantasy tale as you overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges of a centuries-old evil scheme, an oppressive empire bent on world domination and… going out clubbing with your friends? One of these things doesn’t seem quite like the others, but for those of us with disabilities, mental illness or neurodivergence, they really can be an equivalent challenge.

Now, I’d be the first person to admit that I am in no way “cool”. My ideal night with friends usually consists of staying in and playing board games or D&D rather than going out. That said, clubs, bars and parties were a staple of my university life — it felt like every other night people were going out or hosting a house party. These events were a staple, but not because I was out there with them. It’s because I wasn’t — I often couldn’t, through no choice of my own.

Filled with incredibly loud music, flashing lights and crowds of strangers talking at fever pitch, clubs and bars can be a minefield of social and physical hazards for those with disabilities, neurodivergence or mental illness. That’s if you can even get through the door, as these venues are almost never mobility-aid accessible. As an autistic individual with physical health issues, spending time at a club is my own personal sensory hell. I’m mentally overwhelmed and physically exhausted within minutes of stepping through the doors. At that point, meeting new people or spending time with friends is the last thing on my mind, and escaping the situation is the first. Combine that with the potential dangers of being a femme-presenting individual in such an environment, and I’d largely written off attempting that side of the social sphere altogether. At least, until Final Fantasy 14.

It’s an expansive game, with all sorts of ways to spend your time. The main story is one of the best in the genre, the PvE dungeons and raids are fantastic and the competitive PvP scene… exists (allegedly). But the true end-game content of Final Fantasy 14 is the friends you made along the way.

Final Fantasy 14 features an in-depth player housing system, allowing players to build fully customisable structures for others to enjoy. Some use this system to make guild halls or personalised homes, but many have transformed their space into fully-stocked night clubs, with dance floors, DJ booths, private seating and more. To complete the experience, club-owners often hire other players to fill the role of bartenders, dancers, event managers and even DJs. Many venues host Twitch streams with live sets from DJs, allowing club-goers to tune in at their leisure and enjoy the show. The aesthetic and atmosphere of these venues is often stunning, as their existence in a virtual space allows for such personalised visual design, custom-built to suit the intention of their creator, without the restraints of physical space. So with such well-made venues, who is the clientele?

The emphasis placed on customising your character’s aesthetic in Final Fantasy 14 means that many players use the game as a way to express themselves in a social setting, molding their own style and finding others to connect with. This social-focused environment has cultivated a player-base that loves to party. Whether its crafters, roleplayers, raiders in their off-time or even the Limsa Lominsa plaza crew showing off their skimpiest glamours, clubs in Final Fantasy 14 have no trouble finding patrons.

Clubbing in-game isn’t a perfect recreation of its physical-world counterpart, of course, but I argue that the differences are what make it so special. Where stepping into a club in the real world is a specific, often overwhelming sensory experience outside your control, clubbing in Final Fantasy 14 is, at its core, an environment controlled by the player. If I’m particularly light-sensitive that day, I can adjust my graphic settings to reduce the intensity. If the music is too loud, or I’m trying to concentrate on a conversation, I can just turn thein-game music volume down. If it turns out that a social event is too much for me that day, then leaving is one button press away. You can be as social or as solitary as you want, and can visit by yourself or with friends. With no physical barriers to entry, and total control of the experience, clubbing in Final Fantasy 14 is for everyone. So if my friends want a night out but all I can manage is a night in? Final Fantasy 14 has us covered.