As someone who's often been critical of the way SE has conducted business during the tenure of this game, I've recently been asked how I think SE can sunset the FFXI game service in a more positive way than the direction they appear to have chosen. So I've come up with this list of options for SE to consider (knowing full well that they likely won't) - and maybe it'll spark some discussion.
- Open source the whole thing. The only way to ensure the game will survive forever.
- Offline/single player mode. Preserve character data even if it means you can't enter some instanced content. (I'd gladly give up that instanced content for the ability to do some quick fishing at Cascade Edellaine during my coffee breaks).
- Find a responsible steward for the service & game data - reach out to archive.org, see if they'd want to preserve this online space.
- Turn the service over to a group of serious players. (Ok, that's a terrible idea.)
With the announcements of Grandmasters and the FFXI mobile native client it seems that SE has missed the mark on what it is that most of us actually want - preservation of our character data. We've had loads of fun and sorrows while working hard on building these characters over the years and the most important thing that SE can tell us is: "rest assured, they're safe, they're not going away."
Instead, what we're hearing from SE is that they'd like to keep the service going as long as it's profitable to do so, with no plans for after it's not. None of this exactly inspires confidence. So, fellow forum-goers (whether you're currently playing or not) what could SE do to help build your confidence in them and their ability to make good decisions about the long term future of this game?