After much deliberation, I have come to a decision I feel has been a long time coming... The time to leave the land of Vana'Diel, indefinitely. This may simply go upon deaf ears; however, I feel a genuine heart felt departure was indeed necessary after 10+ years of playing this game since NA launch.
It's no mystery that FFXI has indeed reached it's peak, some years ago. Today it is quite evident that it is a mere after thought to FFXIV. My reasons for hanging up my hat; however, stem from something else... Pure recklessness.
For the better part of the past 3+ years I have worked with a small group of friends towards the completion of a Death Penalty mythic weapon. Starting this quest long before the increase in level cap, before abyssea, or even iLVL gear. This was the driving force behind my reason of playing FFXI, my purpose in-game. At times, focus was solely on this "gun", at times it was focused on helping others within my tight knit group (which at times grew, at times returned to our group of four). We worked together in unison towards our "goals" and had a ton of fun doing it.
To be quite honest, even when the iLVL 119 upgrades were announced for the weapons, I wasn't overly enthusiastic, as it was seemingly done to "keep people happy", or to "shut up the whiners". Truth be told, it did provide a small push towards completion of the weapon, as we (as a group) were now nearing the final 10,000 alexandrite required for completion.
This week, the version update dropped.
This is where the final bit of recklessness tipped my hand towards making that final click to cancel subscriptions. An inadvertent nerf to the Death Penalty was implemented. It was done without prior discussion, consultation or even presentation by either the devs or the community team. The question I was left with is: How many of these guns actually exist to merit this adjustment to maintain "game balance". To do this type of change at this point in the games life just seems reckless, or that whoever is running "the show" doesn't care.
This is just the tip of the iceberg though.
Has anyone noticed how un-policed the game has been of late? Since my subscription is already cancelled; I will elaborate, has anyone noticed that characters are seemingly roaming at an alarmingly quick pace? Or the fact that around 10% of the online population is in Beaucedine Glacier? To a point, I get it... however, the amount of outright "cheating" that occurs on a daily basis in FFXI these days is just plain and simply inexcusable. Vana'Diel has lost it's integrity as a game as is so painstakingly evident that there is such a tremendous lack of effort to maintain the simplest aspects of it. Couple that loss of integrity along with content that is just simply not intriguing in any way and there you have it, the downward spiral continues. Call it a rant, I implore that it is not. It is sometimes just nice to peel back the curtain and say it how it is.
This is not; however, to say that SE will no longer get my money, as they will. My money will go to FFXIV: ARR as the potential and ceiling for the game are seemingly infinite at this point in it's life. In the case of FFXI, it simply has nowhere else to go from here but into the history books.
It's been a wonderful 10+ years FFXI, filled with many fond memories and accomplishments. The friends and community I have experienced in this game will truly last a lifetime, as I have no doubt I will continue to enjoy their company in Eorzea.
It's been a thin slice of heaven FFXI, you stay classy!
~Bersty