Final Fantasy XIV Suspends Housing Demolitions Due to California Wildfires
Square Enix has temporarily halted the automatic demolition of player housing in Final Fantasy XIV on North American servers. This action affects players on the Aether, Primal, Crystal, and Dynamis data centers, and comes just one day after the company resumed the auto-demolition process.
The decision to pause demolitions is directly attributed to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. Square Enix will continue to monitor the situation and announce a resumption date for the timers at a later time.
In Final Fantasy XIV, a 45-day auto-demolition timer is used to reclaim inactive housing plots. This timer resets when the owner logs in, incentivizing continued subscription. However, Square Enix regularly implements temporary suspensions to accommodate real-world events impacting player accessibility, such as natural disasters. Previous pauses have included one following Hurricane Helene.
This latest suspension, effective January 9th, 2025, at 11:20 PM Eastern Time, affects only the aforementioned data centers. Players can still reset their individual timers by visiting their properties.
The impact of the California wildfires extends beyond the game. Other events, including a Critical Role broadcast and an NFL playoff game, have also been affected.
The recent resumption and subsequent pause of auto-demolitions, coupled with the return of a free login campaign, has made for a busy start to 2025 for Final Fantasy XIV players. The duration of the current suspension remains uncertain.
Final Fantasy XIV Halts Housing Demolitions Following Wildfire Impact
- Automatic housing demolitions are paused on Aether, Primal, Crystal, and Dynamis data centers.
- The ongoing Los Angeles wildfires prompted Square Enix's response.
- This pause follows a three-month moratorium that ended just a day prior.
- Square Enix will provide updates regarding the timer's reactivation.
Square Enix expressed sympathy for players impacted by the wildfires and confirmed ongoing monitoring of the situation. The effects of these wildfires are far-reaching, impacting not only Final Fantasy XIV but also other events.
