The main difference between FF14 vs WoW is the combat pacing, graphics, customization, and core gameplay focus.
FF14 has a more realistic art style with slower-paced combat and a heavy focus on PvE. World of Warcraft on the other hand is much more fast-paced, has cartoony (yet detailed) graphics, and a more in-depth PvP system.
Both games are great but it really depends on which elements you prefer in each game. Below we will break down each element of these popular MMORPGs so you can decide which MMO is better and which you should play.
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV has been dubbed as the top MMORPG to play in recent years and for good reasons too. Here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Major graphic overhaul incoming.
- Amazing soundtrack.
- Fantastic storytelling puts the player at the center and will keep players engaged for a long time.
- Heavily focused on the story.
- Lots of character customization options.
- Players can be all classes using one character.
- Can be played entirely solo if desired.
Cons:
- Niche PvP where only top players can get the top rewards.
- No world PvP.
- Fatigue feature for characters that players find annoying.
- The game has a slow pace and communication of important in-game updates can be confusing at times.
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft has garnered millions of players with tons of epic expansions in the past years and that speaks volumes about why there are loyal WoW players. Here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Tons of PvP options to choose from.
- Better-designed questing system.
- The auction house is amazing and well designed.
- Graphics and animations are incredibly smooth and detailed.
- Various difficulties for raids and dungeons.
Cons:
- The Storytelling can be quite linear and some players find it boring.
- Low level zones can feel empty at times.
- Lack of character customization.
- Some late game content can feel too easy.
- Easy to miss a lot of the story.
Aside from the pros and cons above, we have also broken down the key areas of the game to see which is better between these two popular MMORPGs.
Some players would not want to compromise with areas like questing, fighting monsters, and character customization. If you have a specific area that you are looking for when playing a game, then it is best if you review the following sections to find which game will be more to your liking.
Story & Quests
When it comes to the story and questing, those who played FFVIX and WoW tend to rate FFXIV as a superior story to World of Warcraft.
The storyline of FFXIV is non-linear and you can go through the story at your own pace. FFXIV also features side quests and guildhests which are not as common in other MMOs. Even the NPCs have complex characters and keep players entertained and engaged when interacting with them.
Every player is the center of their own story which gives you a deeper sense of purpose as the game progresses. There are also unique scenarios that players can enjoy in FFXIV.
In World of Warcraft, the questing system is more linear, and some players find completing quests to be quite boring. This is also part of the reason that many players miss out on the story as it involves a lot of reading to get a deeper sense of the world.
That being said, if you do enjoy reading and paying attention to the story, World of Warcraft is quite in-depth and the story and lore of the world are incredible.
Character Customization
In terms of character customization, FFXIV gives players much more freedom to experiment with different looks for your characters. Final Fantasy XIV features a wide range of hairstyles, faces, tattoos, beards, tail lengths and furriness, and other accessories that players can use to make their characters stand out.
The only downside here is that many people tend to have just 1 character that plays all the classes. Adding additional characters will increase your monthly subscription fee so you just have 1 character that plays everything.
World of Warcraft, on the other hand, lacks character customization options which can be quite frustrating for players who want to experiment with different looks for their characters. The plus side is that you can create various characters for each class so you can have a bunch of characters each with their own look.
Graphics
When it comes to graphics, the decision of which one is better really depends on which style you prefer.
If you prefer a real-life type of setting with flashy and colorful effects then the Final Fantasy Series game will be the better option for you. Square-Enix, the developer of FFXIV also recently announced a major graphics update for the game so it will look even better than before.
WoW on the other hand adapted a more cartoonish look to their game. The graphics and animations feel super smooth and Blizzard constantly updates the graphics to make them look even better.
Both are the best of the best in their art style so this really depends on which style you prefer.
Gameplay Mechanics and Classes
When it comes to the gameplay mechanics, FFXIV’s core gameplay is more action-oriented which some players find to be more engaging and fast-paced. The game also features different classes and different factions that players can choose from. Those who play FFXIV can switch from one class to another using the same character which saves time in creating new alternate characters to experience playing under a different class.
WoW, on the other hand, is more focused on grinding to get to the next level of the player’s character which can be time-consuming for some players. The game also lacks the diversity of classes which can be quite frustrating for some Warcraft players who want to experiment with different playstyles.
PvP & PvE Features
Gamers familiar with MMOs likely already know about the basics that every MMORPG has, things like PvP (Player vs Player), PvE (Player vs Environment), Dungeons, Raiding, etc.
Pretty much every MMORPG has these features, but we’ll break them down as the combat varies greatly and PvP is completely different as well.
Combat
Both games have a so-called Action/Skills type of combat mode where you use skills with cooldowns to create combos.
While WoW’s combat system is a little bit more smooth and in-depth than that of FFXIV, both are pretty good in terms of how they work.
You’ll also find that WoW’s combat is faster-pace with quicker cooldowns and more moving around.
PvP & Player Interaction
If you are an avid PvP’er then WoW is the no-brainer here. World of Warcraft has a much more in-depth PvP system, with World PvP, duels, arena’s and battlegrounds.
PvP in FF14 on the other hand is simply a game mode that players can join to battle it out against each other. Final Fantasy is more focused on the PvE aspect of the game.
Crafting
Both are quite fun but Final Fantasy XIV has crafting specific classes. This gives the player more of a role playing feeling where they go about and craft in their crafting outfits. You can craft pretty much anything, from weapons, to outfits, to housing items.
Crafting in World of Warcraft is simply a profession that you can choose outside of your main class. You do it as an extra to make more money or upgrade your gear.
Dungeons and Raids
Both games have enough dungeons and raids, but the boss fights are more developed in World of Warcraft as the boss rooms have different layouts. In Final Fantasy XIV, the boss fights just take place in a giant circle where you battle it out.
Both are quite fun and the dungeon layouts are amazing in both games so there is no clear winner here.
Community
At the time of writing this, Final Fantasy XIV is the most played MMORPG of the year. They have a huge community and most of the time players are very positive and friendly.
It’s not odd to come across a wedding within Final Fantasy XIV, as many players enjoy having that roleplay type of experience.
World of Warcraft on the other hand is a bit more focused on playing the game, rather than getting married or having guild parties together (though this is possible on RP servers). WoW also still has a huge audience as well, but when it comes to raiding or dungeons with other players, you’ll often find toxic players if you don’t perform up to standards. In most cases, people will get mad if you don’t rush through a dungeon even if you never completed it before.
Pricing
Both games have a monthly subscription fee, but you can get started with a free trial for both games.
You can play Final Fantasy XIV for free all the way up to level 60 (which is A LOT of content). World of Warcraft can be played for free up to level 20 which will give you a good feel of the game.
For both games, you will also need to buy the expansions to play the latest content.
Final Verdict
So which game should you play? If you want to play a game that focuses on the story campaign and can be played entirely solo, then Final Fantasy XIV is the game for you.
If you want a more fast-paced experience, explore epic dungeons, and maybe even engage in some PvP then World of Warcraft is the choice for you.
Both games have a free trial so why not give both of them a try? Sign up for free on the official websites.
