So, opening day for Final Fantasy XIV is coming near and I can’t help but be excited. I remember the last game I was excited about was Aion, but it had quickly become such a bore for me that I didn’t really stay too long to get too high. The grinding, the idea of knowing I’d HAVE to do PvP, and the fact that RMT were spamming the areas left and right didn’t help any. Even if the problem was solved quickly enough, it was the culmination of issues that just left such a sour taste in my mouth that I worried I would never find another MMO to enjoy again after FFXI.

Sure, I played and sometimes still do play WoW but it was mostly a way for me to keep in contact with a friend and to pass time with. Final Fantasy XIV, on the other hand… lets just say that if it isn’t apparent how excited I am then maybe you aren’t the one looking at me foaming at the mouth in anxious anticipation.

The only part that I’m truly sad about is the fact I would not be able to play with two friends. I knew that one would be iffy and the other would be unable to join until the PS3 launch. I know its not THAT bad, but I guess I was just so focused on continuing the adventures from Vana’diel to Hydaelyn that I forgot that not everyone can make the trip. I should and most likely will make new friends, but… most will be male and hardly the female friend I’ve managed to keep over the years. Which seems so strange; the idea of being so worked up over a person whom I have never met, never really exchanged e-mails with, and only know through a digital avatar via experiences in a virtual world. It has made me wonder about the meaning of friendships and such… and how I should probably try to branch out more even if I detest the idea of it.

But I realize that in the end, my friendships I build really have helped in whether I stay in a MMO or not. After all, it is a rather social game whether people want to admit it or not. When you get to the end of things, even if you are as much of a hermit as I can be at times… teaming up with people is what will really help you get through the hurdles that are placed in the game that are just a virtual representation of hurdles that one might face in real life. Sure, losing a job and needing moral support from friends isn’t the same as needing a team of people to help you get a shiny piece of equipment… but in the end, you still need someone to watch your back, right? Right.