FFXIV Halts Auto Demolition of Vacant Homes

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, impacting players on the Aether, Primal, Crystal, and Dynamis data centers, comes in response to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. The suspension was implemented just one day after the company resumed the automatic demolition timers.

The game typically employs a 45-day auto-demolition timer for unoccupied housing plots to manage server resources. This timer resets when the owner logs in, encouraging player engagement. However, Square Enix regularly pauses these timers during significant real-world events to accommodate players affected by circumstances beyond their control, such as natural disasters. Previous pauses have been implemented due to events like Hurricane Helene.

While a restart of the demolition timers was previously announced, the current wildfires necessitated this unexpected suspension, effective January 9th, 2025, at 11:20 PM Eastern Time. No timeline has been provided for their resumption. Square Enix assures players that they will provide an update once the situation allows for the timers to be reactivated. Homeowners can still reset their timers to the full 45-day duration by logging into their homes.

Final Fantasy XIV Housing Demolition Pause: A Necessary Response

The decision to pause automatic housing demolitions highlights Square Enix's responsiveness to real-world events impacting its player base. The ongoing Los Angeles wildfires are the driving force behind this latest suspension, affecting a significant portion of the North American player community. This pause follows a three-month moratorium that concluded just a day prior.

The impact of the wildfires extends beyond the game; other events, including a Critical Role campaign and an NFL playoff game, have also been affected. Square Enix expressed sympathy for those impacted by the disaster.

The combination of this housing demolition pause and the recent return of a free login campaign marks an eventful start to 2025 for Final Fantasy XIV players. The duration of this latest suspension remains uncertain, pending further updates from Square Enix.