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, affecting players on the Aether, Primal, Crystal, and Dynamis data centers, comes in response to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
The suspension, implemented on January 9th, 2025, follows a previous moratorium related to Hurricane Helene's aftermath. Square Enix utilizes a 45-day auto-demolition timer to manage housing plot availability. This timer resets when a homeowner logs in, incentivizing player activity and subscription. However, in the face of significant real-world events, such as the current wildfires, the company temporarily suspends these timers to accommodate players who may be unable to access the game.
This latest pause comes just one day after the company resumed the auto-demolition process. No timeline has been provided for the resumption of the timers, with Square Enix indicating they will continue to monitor the situation. Homeowners can still reset their timers to the full 45 days by logging into their estates.
The wildfires' impact extends beyond the game, with other events, including a Critical Role campaign and an NFL playoff game, also affected. This unexpected suspension adds to a busy start to 2025 for Final Fantasy XIV players, who also recently benefited from a free login campaign. The duration of the current housing demolition pause remains uncertain.
