Director Yoshi-P Warns Legal Action on Stalking Mod

In early 2025, a Final Fantasy XIV mod ignited concerns about player stalking due to reports of its ability to harvest sensitive player data. This included character details, retainer information, linked alternate characters, and more.

The mod, "Playerscope," tracked nearby players' data, sending it to a central database controlled by the mod's creator. This exposed information typically inaccessible through in-game tools, including "Content ID" and "Account ID," enabling cross-character tracking. This exploited the Content ID system introduced in the Dawntrail expansion, designed for player blacklisting.

Opting out required joining the Playerscope Discord server. Effectively, any player outside this server was potentially having their data scraped, presenting a significant privacy risk. Community outrage was swift, 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 verified its absence from both. However, the mod might still circulate within private communities.

While third-party tools are prohibited, tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used, often alongside websites like FFlogs. Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.

Community Reaction

The community reacted negatively to Yoshida's statement. Players criticized the lack of consideration for fixing the game's vulnerabilities to prevent such mods, suggesting addressing the root cause by protecting data on the client-side. The Playerscope author has yet to comment.