This is Terminally Online, a column where we explore the world of MMORPGs. I once wrote that the old-school MMOs we grew up with are gone, killed by our own love for them. While I still largely believe that, I’ve found a major exception. The classic sense of discovery, community, and mythology in these games is alive and well, thriving in the world of challenge running. I spoke with Final Fantasy 14’s “Solo Only,” also known as RathGames, who has been undertaking a monumental task. He is playing through the game’s 400+ hour main questline completely solo, following a set of strict, self-imposed rules.
Rath’s rules are severe: no market board, no quest rewards, and no AI party members in dungeons. He takes content designed for groups of four to eight players and conquers it alone, crafting nearly all of his own gear. One particularly challenging boss, Susano, required an 85-day effort to overcome a mechanic designed to be impossible for a solo player. His inspiration for this incredible journey comes from games like RuneScape and its Iron Man mode, as well as similar self-imposed gaming challenges he’s done in other games, such as a unique playthrough of Breath of the Wild where he refused to interact with any ghost-like characters.
Something solo, something new
For Rath, a primary motivation behind these dedicated playthroughs is to recreate the ‘discovery period’ that has largely vanished from older games. In modern MMOs, \”efficient ways\” to do things are widely known and followed, but Rath’s approach allows him to explore a game as if it were brand new. \”I will push myself towards a discovery period,\” he explains, \”because that means I get to explore the game like it’s brand new, and I have no idea what I could possibly use.\” This is especially true for a game like Final Fantasy 14, where new content is quickly solved by the community.
Rath is driven by two key factors. The first is his audience, whose excitement and companionship during the long grinds make the challenges more manageable. The second is a \”soulsian sense of joy and pride\” that comes from overcoming a monumental task. He compares the feeling of finally defeating a boss after days or weeks of effort to beating a famously difficult boss like Ornstein and Smough in Dark Souls. \”The entire weight of the world has been lifted off of you,\” he says. \”It’s that feeling. The more stress and time put into the requirements to get that feeling, I think the bigger it is at the end.\”
For the love of the game
Even a \”Solo Only\” run has its limits. A mandatory main story raid, the Crystal Tower, requires a group. Rath kept the spirit of the challenge alive by teaming up with other solo-only players from his community, who collaborated just enough to complete the duty. This community has become a hub for old-school theorycrafting, working together to find solutions without relying on external guides or wikis. This collaborative problem-solving has dramatically optimized the challenge; a journey that took Rath a year to complete can now be done in about a month thanks to the community’s shared knowledge.
By embracing such dedicated challenges, Rath has found a way to escape the \”MMO live service rat-race.\” He doesn’t need to chase the best gear or complete daily quests optimally. \”I’m not stressing,\” he notes. \”I’m just having fun.\” For those inspired to start their own challenge, Rath offers simple advice: \”Just give yourself a crazy little idea, go do it for five minutes, find out it sucks, and then move it over a little bit so it doesn’t suck.\” He stresses that the goal should be personal satisfaction, not chasing \”big fancy YouTube fame,\” as genuine enjoyment is what will ultimately lead to a better experience and better content.
While the massive ecosystem of the old MMOs I loved may not exist in the same way, it’s humbling to see their spirit kept alive. Through the incredible dedication of players like Rath and the communities that form around them, the core feelings of discovery, collaboration, and overcoming impossible odds endure. The passion hasn’t died; it has simply gone underground.