In early 2025, a Final Fantasy XIV mod ignited concerns about player stalking after reports surfaced that it harvested sensitive player data. This data included character details, retainer information, linked alternate characters, and more.
The mod, "Playerscope," tracked players' data within a certain radius, sending this information to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This included access to "Content ID" and "Account ID," allowing cross-character tracking, exploiting the Dawntrail expansion's Content ID system intended for account-wide blacklisting.
Opting out required joining the Playerscope Discord server, meaning anyone outside the server was potentially having their data scraped—a significant privacy breach. The community reacted strongly, with many calling the mod's purpose "to stalk people."
Initially hosted on GitHub, Playerscope's popularity exploded after its discovery. Subsequently removed from GitHub due to Terms of Service violations, it allegedly reappeared on Gittea and Gitflic, though IGN confirmed its absence from both. However, it could still circulate within private communities.
Yoshida emphasized the prohibition of third-party tools in the Final Fantasy XIV User Agreement, highlighting the potential safety risks. He urged players not to use or distribute such tools.
While tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used by the raiding community and integrated with sites like FFlogs, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.
Community Reaction
The community's response to Yoshida's statement was largely critical. Many criticized the lack of proactive measures to prevent data exposure on the client-side, suggesting that addressing the root cause was overlooked. The Playerscope author has yet to comment.
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