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, sending their data 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 via the Dawntrail expansion's Content ID system (originally intended for account-wide blacklisting).

Opting out required joining the Playerscope Discord server. Essentially, any player outside this server was potentially having their data scraped, raising significant privacy issues. Community backlash was swift, with many labeling the mod's purpose as "stalking."

Following its discovery on Github, Playerscope's popularity surged. 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 like Advanced Combat Tracker (commonly used by raiders and linked to sites like FFlogs) are prevalent, Yoshida's legal threat represents a significant escalation.

Community Reaction:

The community's response to Yoshida's statement was largely critical. Players questioned why the developers weren't addressing the root cause by preventing data exposure on the client-side, suggesting it was a matter of insufficient resources or prioritization. Others criticized the statement for failing to acknowledge the core problem. The Playerscope author remains silent.