UPDATE: GShade returned to GitHub after the original version was removed due to false reports. The anti-tamper functionality that sparked the controversy has been removed from the new version.
Original story is as follows.
A once-popular Final Fantasy 14 mod has returned after a spat of controversy rendered it unavailable for some time. The news was pointed out by sharp-eyed Final Fantasy 14 players, who alerted social media to the return of the mod and discouraged players from giving it another try after the mod in question was supposedly removed for inserting malware into a previous update - though the issues with the mod may have been misconstrued from the beginning.
However, users should take note that Final Fantasy 14 strictly prohibits the use of third-party tools and add-ons of any kind, as stated within the game's terms of service. Furthermore, game director and producer Naoki Yoshida has publicly condemned the use of third-party tools on multiple occasions. Yoshida has stated that the use of these tools comes at a risk to the players, and gives PC players an unfair advantage over console players in certain forms of content, depending on the mod used. While some mods range from damage meters to altering cosmetic appearances, one controversial mod was said to have strayed from its original purpose, and it was removed from its main repository until recently.
On Reddit, a user named Laephis put out a warning on the r/ffxiv subreddit that the "GShade" shader mod for Final Fantasy 14 and its entire repository returned to GitHub after it was removed earlier this year. Once a popular shader mod for Final Fantasy 14, GShade was under fire for including malware back in February, though its developer has stated that the controversy around the mod came down to a misconception. A normal shutdown of Windows caused by anti-tamper protection in Gshade's installer was viewed as something far worse, which led to a number of reports that saw the original version of the mod taken down. With these reports appearing to be false and the mod seemingly being safe, it has been brought back, with the anti-tamper functionality that caused the controversy removed. However, it seems that many fans are still fearful of the mod.
As pointed out by Laephis, the mod has returned to GitHub and was updated to version 4.2.1 at the time of writing. However, users are unable to leave comments on the repository page, and reception to the return of GShade has been dubious. Some users are still afraid of potential malware despite the initial takedown of the mod looking to be unjustified, and a few fans have commented that there are other mods that Final Fantasy 14 players can use for shaders such as ReShade or Nvidia Freestyle - with the latter officially supported by both Square Enix and Nvidia for users that have GeForce graphics cards.
Given that GShade is a proprietary fork of ReShade, the recommendation is ironic and justified in the eyes of Final Fantasy 14 players. With the return of GShade to GitHub and its subsequent rejection by players following the malware controversy, only time will tell if and when the Final Fantasy 14 development team will issue another statement and lead a crackdown against the use of third-party tools in the future.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.