Thousands of Final Fantasy XIV Online players banned for real-money trading

Square Enix has permanently banned thousands of Final Fantasy XIV Online players for taking part in real-money trading (RMT) activities.

The developer terminated nearly 6,000 accounts between February 25 and March 3, 2021. It explained 5,037 were found guilty of RMT and other "prohibited actives" that upset the balance of the game, and that an additional 814 accounts were terminated for advertising RMT services. 

Square said both offenses are prohibited under the Final Fantasy XIV Online terms of service, and that players who discover any similar actives should file a report.

The Japanese studio pledged to continue taking "stringent disciplinary action against any accounts with confirmed involvement in RMT," and encouraged players to steer away from potential culprits.