Final Fantasy XIV historically tolerated client-side mods that affected only the individual player, but enforcement increased when mods began impacting others or game integrity. Mare Synchronos allowed avatar and other changes to be shared among users, enabling large opt-in networks and role-playing communities. Tens of thousands of players used the plugin concurrently. Some users exploited the system to access paid microtransaction items without payment and to create and distribute NSFW avatar content. Legal pressure from Square Enix led the plugin creator to remove Mare Synchronos to prevent further abuse and protect the game's systems.
Normally, mods in Final Fantasy XIV are only visible to the player using them, but Mare Synchronos, created by modder DarkArchon, made it so that any changes to a person's avatar or other parts of the MMORPG would be visible to everyone else using the plugin. Sometimes there were tens of thousands of players using Mare Synchronos at the same time.
While technically verboten under the strict terms of the game's user agreement, Square Enix has mostly been content to look the other way as long as the mods aren't interfering with the overall health and integrity of the game. But last week, a plugin for called Mare Synchronos was taken down by its creator after receiving a letter from Square Enix's lawyers.
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