The reason ffxi will never, ever have server merges

[bungiefanNA]

Not really all that helpful, if you ask me. Very few people use world transfers, and you're talking a few hundred dollars profit, maybe a few thousand for them as far as FFXI is concerned. They are not going to hold us for ransom for such little money. They said they were simply waiting to see whether or not hundreds of thousands of people would care to come back to a game they quit just to witness it's ending(well, that's not a quote, but that's what they meant). As far as I can tell, it did not happen.

A true reason if they never merge, would be because of the way they have implemented TRUST, and the issues congestion would cause after a merge. But I suspect they will merge, because even though I have no problem believing they wish this PS2 console game would die already, they aren't fools. They'll milk it dry to the last few thousand players before they shut it down in a few years now that they finally got their wish on ending content additions. They can move all five devs over to new exciting projects that won't make them any money!

The large linkshells on Odin and Asura made of people that have transferred from other servers says that a lot of people have used transfers.

[Zarchery]

I'm telling people how it is, if they choose to disagree and still keep hoping. Enjoy I guess!

No, you're making a really absurd guess. Saying that they refuse to do merges because server transfers are so lucrative is ridiculous. If that had any merit they wouldn't have done the merges in 2011.

[Alhanelem]

Posting all the pro's and cons of server merging, posting about if they will or will not merge ever, and above all else, telling people to stop making threads of asking for a server merge and whipping out a credit card for a transfer will not stop people from continuing to ask if they can have a merge.

I don't see any pros and cons of server merging, what I see is someone telling everyone "stop asking for this, you're not going to get it because reasons."

OP doesn't know anything, s/he's making an assumption.

[Lyandra]

So, as someone that plays this and ffxiv I would just like to point out to people continually asking when then will do merges why it will never, ever happen... Stop asking when and get out your credit card or forever wait, just some helpful advice.

I'm not sure where to begin with this post. Yes, you have to pay for server transfers as a service like in XIV, but unlike XI almost 90% of XIV's extra features are cost-centric. Additional retainers after the first 2, Vials of Fantasia, cosmetic mounts etc. are bought with money as they're designed as part of the entire service.

However with XI it's a paid service, but they have done both transfers and mergers for free as the times called for it. During Abyssea they merged the servers twice (from 32 servers down to 24, then down again to 16) as the playerbase declined. That's also not counting multiple times in the past when a server population was too large and they gave away character transfers at NO COST for players on overcrowded servers.

They are never, ever going to do a merge again because it's a means of profit as opposed to a large cost.

Well, according to Matsui direct from Freshly Picked Vana'diel #17:
(http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...diel-17-Digest)

(0:47:28～)
Q: Are there plans to merge servers due to the declining player base?
A: At least until the completion of “Rhapsodies of Vana’diel” in November 2015, there are no plans for merging unless something major comes up. After completion, we do have some plans in the event that players are giving feedback about not being able to form parties and more players voicing their requests for server merges. As far as how we’ll merge, we’ll be looking into how to handle this such as merging two Worlds into one World, or transferring players from one World to a World of their choosing.

Underlined text supports your theory, while bolded text blatantly counters your claims. Will S-E merge servers? No one can say, it's their decision really; though it makes sense financially to reduce overhead costs and upkeep. But to say it won't ever happen? I'll take Matsui's word over yours, thank you.