We've defeated the Omega Protocol. Just two weeks after the release of update 6.3, "Gods Revel, Lands Tremble," Final Fantasy 14's newest and most difficult raid was released. As with the game's hardest content, it has taken players days to grind their way through the raid.
That grind came to an end for team UNNAMED_ at 3:34 JST today as they claimed the title of world's first completion of The Omega Protocol. However, after a video appeared that appeared to show the team's Dragoon player using plugins, their claim was quickly met with criticism.
As you can see in the video, a plugin is undoubtedly being utilized because the Dragoon player is able to zoom out their camera far more than Final Fantasy 14 typically permits. FF14's rules of service forbid the usage of plugins, and game director Naoki "Yodhi-P" Yoshida issued a warning to players following a similar incident of plugin use in a world's first raid: "Their accounts will be terminated or permanently banned for repeat crimes."
Shortly after the video appeared online, UNNAMED_ offered a confession confirming the use of plugins. The actual video was purportedly stolen from the Dragoon player's personal YouTube account, where there has been "unusual login activity" noted.
Yoshida directly addressed the escalating debate in a statement posted to the Final Fantasy 14 website.
"We are aware of information that is being spread regarding the use of third-party tools within The Omega Protocol (Ultimate)—we are conducting an investigation on the matter, including reviewing reports we have received, as well as self-confessions and other information," wrote Yoshi-P. "In the event that we confirm the use of third-party tools through this investigation, we will enact penalties such as temporary account suspension or permanent account bans to those involved."
Players who use plugins will not be punished by Square Enix in public. Fans have also demanded that UNNAMED_'s first clear of Pandmonium: Abyssos: The Eighth Circle (Savage) be investigated.
"If the illicit use of third-party tools is made clear through our investigations," Yoshi-P added, "I, at the very least, will not recognize that team as the true World First."
