Summary
Players of MMORPGs who love theFinal Fantasyfranchise haveFinal Fantasy 14to play should they ever want to become their own character. Set in the world of Eorzea, players ofFF14take on the role of a legendary warrior who escaped a devastating apocalyptic event (the failure of the original 2010FF14release) and five years into the future (the re-release asA Real Reborn), where they help a recovering Eorzea from the threat that is the Garlean Empire.
With the game still boasting its unique set of Jobs and evolutions, fans ofFinal Fantasygames can feel right at home with mechanics, references, and storylines that give aFinal Fantasyflair of depth in a usually unnecessarily lengthy MMO story. However, for newcomers to the game, the choice of aData Center Serveris easily one of the most difficult as these can shape a player’s overall PVE and PVP experience. In the context of technical choices, just which Data Center Servers are worthwhile inFinal Fantasy 14?
Updated May 27, 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam:With Final Fantasy 14 having recently launched its Dawntrail expansion while also gracing Xbox consoles, fans of the acclaimed Square Enix MMO might be eager to see how their Warrior of Light can change the fate of Tuliyollal in their visit to the continent of Tural. However, players of FF14 might want to explore other parts of the MMORPG outside the expansion, such as reexploring the story until Endwalker, or even deep-diving into the game’s intense raiding community.
In this regard, players might want to consider some strategies when choosing a Data Center for their next character. These include checking bonuses for World Transfers and Character Creation, specifically based on World Classifications.
1Consider World Classifications
Check World Types To Determine Transfer Eligibility
Due to thecommunity-centric focus of manyFinal Fantasy 14gameplay activities, it’s not surprising for players to consider hopping from one Data Center to the next for various reasons. Regardless if this is to accompany a newcomer in their experience or to raid with a particular guild, players should checkWorld Classificationsto understand what to expect in their population and potential benefits. The game’s World Transfer Service changes depending on the classification of the World in question:
Limits To Home World Transfer Services
The game imposes limits on players who plan on transferring characters via theHome World Transfer Service. At its core, players need to spend at least60 dayswith these types of characters to be eligible for the service:
2Check Bonuses For Character Creation
Characters Created In Specific World Types Get Bonuses
Whenplayers create a new character inFinal Fantasy 14, they may want to consider creating them in a recommended World as they provide Character Creation bonuses. These bonuses last until a specified period, usually around the time the World in question is moved from a specific status. The Worlds affected by these bonuses are oftenNew WorldsandPreferred Worlds.
Bonuses And Conditions
Players who create a new character in aNew WorldorPreferred Worldcan obtain the following benefits on theirfirst login:
The first new character in a Data Center Region on a single service account also gets:
The first new character of a service account in a New World or Preferred World gets:
Characters created during the free trial will need to purchase and register their copy of the game before reaching Level 30 to receive:
3Check Bonuses For World Transfers
Characters Transferred To A Specific World Get Bonuses
Thanks to theHome World Transfer Service, players ofFinal Fantasy 14can have their characters practically transferred to another server without necessarily losing all their items. The only variability of World Transfers involves player housing, with specific rules that ensure players with existing houses or apartments can retain rights to their land while being reimbursed for their placed items.
When players transfer a character from a Congested World to a New World or Preferred World, their character is eligible for various bonuses if they meet certain conditions:
New characters specifically transferring to a New World will gain the following benefits:
Owners of Personal Housing should remove their estate hall and furnishings but should not relinquish the deed for their plot. Doing this before transferring will let them receive:
Owners of Apartments should remove their furniture but not relinquish the rights to their property. Doing so before their transfer will grant them:
Should a character benefit from any of these bonuses during the period, then they won’t be able to use the Home World Transfer Service for 90 days.
Basis
Connectivity
One of the most important considerations when choosing a server in any MMO would be distance. As with other MMOs that require heavy processing power,FF14is quite demanding when it comes to both hardware and wireless connection, especially when trying to play with the game’s more advanced graphics, regardless ofFF14Classand its flashy abilities.
In this situation, the first ideal Data Center of the player’s choice is the one nearest to their location, which is theirLocalRegional Data Center. That way, players are treated with the best possible performanceFF14can offer them. This is usually the best option for newcomers or for those who aren’t looking for anything specific in terms of a particular server’s population.
Expectations When Choosing Local Regional Data Centers
With Local Regional Data Centers being the staple servers of choice forFinal Fantasy 14players, it’s normal for gamers to encounter an assortment of players based on their server of preference. On top of network stability, choosing a Local Regional Data Center may also affect the availability of potential party members, especially when choosing a different server instead of one based on location. Choosing a Regional Data Center away from one’s timezone may result in infrequent interactions with players. As with most other servers, most Data Centers go beyond their “perceived” stereotypes and boast communities that focus on raiding, PVP engagements, roleplaying, and even trading.
Social Connection
Giventhe nature ofFinal Fantasy 14as an MMO, multiplayer and co-op experiences set the game apart from a traditionalFinal Fantasytitle. In turn, perhaps one of the most practical factors for players to consider when choosing a Data Center would simply be where their other immediate connections are located. This way, their character will immediately exist in a space where their friends are, making co-op and raiding much easier in both the mid-game and the end-game.
While there aren’t any direct “benefits” to co-op in the game, aside from being in a party during quests, it’s the abundance of AOE buffs that makes playing with a group more ideal. Buff stacking is a popular mechanic, especially inFF14, with its raids and its fair share of bosses having more precise movement, overbearing mobs, and exorbitant HP numbers encouraging the use of constant buffs to a player’s rotation.
Expectations When Choosing Servers Where Friends Are
Depending on the level gap between the player and their immediate friend group, it may still take some time for players to be able to catch up with their friends to participate in specific raids. It’s recommended that players ask for assistance in the form of power-leveling or being level-boosted by their friends to reach their levels much faster. Alternatively, a player’s friends may also switch to their secondary characters so their character can experience the same growth pacing as their friends' alts.
Group or Community Joined
Thanks to online forums and networks such as Reddit, players ofFinal Fantasy 14may also base their Data Center of choice on where their immediate communities are. Various Facebook groups and Discord communities are dedicated toFF14, and many more could exist depending on the player’s immediate location. Joining these can allow players to get in touch with hundreds or even thousands of players at the onset, and they may not have as much of a hard time finding people to play with in both leveling and raiding experiences.
TheFinal Fantasy 14subreddit has a dedicated postfor existing Discord servers based on locations, interests, and niches. In turn, there are Discord servers dedicated to players in certain regions, interests such as art and theocrafting, and even raiding.
Expectations When Choosing Data Centers Based On Communities
Before joining group-specific communities, players should research whether these communities have specific requirements, especially in terms of level, playstyle, and even schedule. Many Discord groups tend to focus on either roleplaying or raiding, both of which have different expectations for newcomers. If players are eyeing a specific Discord server or community, it may help to confirm if there are newcomer-friendly circles within them so players can get up to speed without being pressured into leveling up quickly.
Sample Servers
Europe
Ragnarok - Chaos Moogle - Chaos Cerberus - Chaos Odin - Light Shiva - Light Zodiark - Light
North America
Cactuar - Aether Behemoth - Primal Hyperion - Primal Lamia - Primal
Japan
Tonberry - Elemental Masamune - Mana Typhon - Elemental Kujata - Elemental Ramuh - Elemental
Fans of MMOs likeFinal Fantasy 14know that it’s tough finding servers where people speak the local language. This is especially the case for players who don’t have English as their second or main language, or for those who just prefer speaking in their local language.
Thankfully, certain Data Centers inFinal Fantasy 14do have players who primarily speak a certain language - a feature that may attract gamers who can understand the local vernacular.
Expectations Based On Region-Specific Servers
Should prospective players ofFinal Fantasy 14be used to playing MMOs in servers away from their region of choice, choosing a region-specific server in theFinal FantasyMMO will likely bring them to communities that have speaking patterns and mannerisms based on cultures and traditions in these areas. English is still likely a second or third language among players, but it’s a reasonable expectation to encounter guilds and raiding parties speaking in any of their native languages. When joining guilds, it may help to ask what language preferences they have to ease communication and avoid misunderstandings.
Phoenix - Light
Adamantoise - Aether Faerie - Aether Siren - Aether Midgardsormr - Aether Brynhildr - Crystal Diabolos - Crystal Goblin - Crystal Zalera - Crystal Famfrit - Primal
Oceania
Sephirot - Materia Zurvan - Materia
Players who prefer an extremely casualFinal Fantasy 14experience would likely lean towards Data Centers with a player base that doesn’t demand as much in terms of PVP and Raiding from other new arrivals. This means choosing Data Centers with players that prefer a more all-rounder experience, giving a decent balance of Raiding, PVP, and PVE for everyone’s enjoyment.
Of course, given the more neutral-leaning nature of these Data Centers, players are expected to find a mixed bag of player priorities in these areas. Players who eventually develop a preference towards either Raiding, PVP, PVE or even Roleplay are advised to look for more specific Data Centers.
Expectations When Choosing Casual Communities
Unlike otherFinal Fantasy 14servers, selecting a perceived casual community server means players may encounter more “chill” gamers and less hardcore groups. Compared to raid-heavy servers, players in these regions may be less invested in the game’s endgame offerings and instead enjoy roaming around, diving deep into the world’s lore, or even playing with friends.
This description doesn’t necessarily mean these servers’ players just lounge around, but these servers may not have as many guilds interested in grinding as raid-loving players would like. With this in mind, players who don’t want to compete with a lot of players in terms of PVP and scoring grinding spots may appreciate farming in these quieter, less stressful regions.
Ragnarok - Chaos
Gilgamesh - Aether Jenova - Aether Coeurl - Crystal Leviathan - Primal Excalibur - Primal Exodus - Primal
Ravana - Materia
As with most other MMOs, Final Fantasy 14 raiding has been an active component of its player base since its launch. Given how each of the game’s iterations has provided a fair share of complex stories and equallyintenseFF14dungeons, it’s no surprise how some players have become dedicated to the endgame component of the series.
Players hoping to become a part of the more hardcore raiding scene and those gunning for frequent group sessions in the endgame might want to look into servers that accommodate such a population. These servers also fit players who focus more on reaching the endgame to have the most fun, instead of focusing on the story and side quests.
Expectations When Choosing Raiding Focused Realms
Selecting a server popular for its raid focus can easily getFinal Fantasy 14players into the MMO’s dungeoneering scene much faster than other realms. While the entire population of these servers doesn’t think the same way, the servers’ reputation for focusing on raids means players should anticipate repeated playthroughs of dungeons more often than in other realms.
Players should also anticipate other guilds and groups in these servers to be more invested in gamers who are quick on their feet in adjusting to dungeon roles. However, this more action-focused part of the MMO scene means there’s also the possibility of players overcrowding these servers, which can make creating characters inside of them much faster compared to other locations. Players who want to enjoyFF14’s endgame dungeons may find a scarcity of teammates in servers further from their original timezone.
Pandemonium - Mana
Fans of MMOs know that the idea of roleplaying is usually reserved for games with vast open worlds and a wide variety of “professions” that copy real-life occurrences, such as inRuneScapeandAlbion Online. However, if lore-intensive MMOs such asWorld of Warcrafthave proven, a game with a complex enough story could be home to roleplayers as well. This is especially the case ofFinal Fantasy 14, whose story across its expansions has done nothing but escalate matters that put Eorzea at the cusp of yet another extinction-level event.
However, just because adventurers inFF14are tasked to save the world doesn’t mean they have to do so on short notice. This is perhaps the point of roleplaying servers, as they’re built to accommodate the section ofFinal Fantasyfans who want to fully immerse themselves in the possibility of their characters becoming actual “cast members” of aFinal Fantasystory through stylish gear.
Expectations When Choosing Roleplaying Servers
Players eager to fulfill their dreams of roleplaying as their character can finally “live” in Eorzea in these perceived roleplay-heavy servers. While roleplaying principles in modern MMOs remain the same in terms of mutual respect and playing along the same story, fans may want to find roleplaying guilds in any of these servers in advance before creating a character.
Familiarizing with various roleplaying styles of different guilds can give players a heads-up on the kind of stories they may encounter once they create their character. Knowing favored roleplaying styles beforehand can also make transitioning from scenes much easier. As with any other MMO, the occasional encounter with a non-RP-invested gamer means RP-heavy players should still periodically ask permission when engaging random characters in roleplay-speak.
