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 accounts, and more.
The mod, "Playerscope," tracked nearby players, transmitting their data to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This exposed information typically inaccessible through in-game features, including "Content ID" and "Account ID," allowing 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; otherwise, data scraping was presumed to occur. The community reacted strongly, citing the mod's clear potential for stalking.
Initially hosted on Github, its popularity surged after its discovery. Subsequently removed from Github due to Terms of Service violations, it allegedly reappeared on Gittea and Gitflic, though IGN verified its absence from both. However, private distribution remains a possibility.
While tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.
Community Reaction
The FFXIV community criticized Yoshida's statement, questioning why fixing the game's vulnerabilities to prevent such mods wasn't considered. Players highlighted the possibility of addressing the data exposure on the client-side, suggesting the statement lacked acknowledgment of the root cause. The Playerscope author remains silent.
