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Based on the original title and summary:
- Square Enix announced on April 20 that they identified a person who posted harassment videos targeting company executives/employees on video-sharing sites related to FF14
- Settlement terms: apology, payment of settlement money (่งฃๆฑบ้), and prohibition of similar behavior
- This follows previous action against "matome sites" (aggregator blogs) โ indicating an escalating anti-harassment campaign
BODY: Square Enix announced on April 20 that it has identified and reached a settlement with an individual who uploaded harassment videos targeting company executives and employees on video-sharing platforms in connection with Final Fantasy XIV.
The settlement requires the individual to issue a formal apology, pay a settlement fee, and refrain from any similar conduct in the future. Square Enix released the information in a public statement titled "Regarding Our Response to Harassment of Company Officers and Employees on Video-Sharing Sites."
The company did not disclose the specific platform involved or the exact amount of the settlement. However, the announcement makes clear that Square Enix pursued the matter through legal channels to identify the anonymous uploader โ a process that typically involves court orders compelling platforms to disclose user information under Japanese provider liability law.
This action follows Square Enix's earlier moves against so-called "matome sites" โ Japanese content aggregator blogs that compiled and amplified defamatory posts about the company and its staff. Together, these cases signal a broadening legal offensive against online harassment directed at the FF14 development team.
The insider take
Square Enix's approach here is part of a visible shift across the Japanese games industry. For years, developers and community managers endured relentless personal attacks on platforms like YouTube, Nico Nico Douga, and 5ch with little recourse. The FF14 team โ and producer Naoki Yoshida in particular โ has been a frequent target since the game's rocky 1.0 era. By publicly announcing settlements rather than quietly resolving them, Square Enix is clearly trying to set a deterrent. The message to the broader community is unmistakable: anonymous harassment no longer guarantees anonymity, and the company will spend the legal resources to prove it.
Originally reported by AUTOMATON (Japanese).