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 player data within a user's vicinity, 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. Essentially, any player outside this server was potentially having their data scraped, raising significant privacy concerns. The community reacted strongly, with many labeling the mod's purpose as stalking.
Initially hosted on Github, Playerscope's popularity exploded after its discovery. Subsequently removed from Github for Terms of Service violations, it reportedly resurfaced on Gittea and Gitflic, though IGN confirmed its absence from both. However, the possibility of its continued circulation within private communities remains.
While third-party tools like Advanced Combat Tracker are commonly used (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 address the root cause of the vulnerability, suggesting that fixing the game's data exposure would be a more effective solution than legal action alone. The Playerscope author remains silent.
