FFXIV's Got 1.5M Players. Guess That Massive Overhaul Paid Off.

Final Fantasy XIV hit 1.5 million registered players in its first two months, and if you're wondering what that means, here's one suggestion: A Realm Reborn was worth it.

First, let's put that number in context: 1.5 million might be negligible for a free-to-play game, but Final Fantasy XIV is a subscription-based MMORPG. All of those people are paying monthly to inhabit the world of chocobos and crystals. (The biggest paid MMORPG, World of Warcraft, was at 7.7 million subscribers last time developer Blizzard announced their numbers.)

Another high-profile MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, started similarly, with 1.7 million subscribers in its first two months. But momentum slowed for BioWare's online game, and following a big drop in subscription numbers, they took it free-to-play last year.

So this is a good start for Square's critically-acclaimed MMORPG, which was first launched to disastrous reception in 2011, then shut down and overhauled only to be relaunched this year as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn for PC and PS3. (The folks behind the game, Square Enix, say a beta for the PS4 version of the game will launch on February 22.)

Now let's see if they can keep it up.