If we are approaching an imminent end of content creation for FFXI, at least I ask you leave the game with a lot of content to be able to grind years without getting bored while we wait what the company does with the game.
This would be the state in which I would leave FFXI in 2026 before completely stopping development.
All the battlefields of LV75, LV99 with Normal, heroic and mythic versions in "World of warcraft" style. It's not expensive, you already have the models, the AI. You only have to adjust the HP, resistances, attack, defense and add gimicks like dynamis wave or odyssey v20 enemies. Im not asking you for an expansion, just revamp the content and allow us have something to do.
EXAMPLE
SkyGods -> lv200 -> release 2023
Gear example: Ultimate Byakko's haidate
DEF:200 HP+100 STR+59 VIT+42 AGI+35 INT+42 MND+29 CHR+29 DEX+75
Accuracy+55 Attack+55 Magic Accuracy+55 Evasion+106 Magic Evasion+106
"Magic Def. Bonus"+17 Haste+12%
"Triple Attack"+7% "Subtle Blow II"+8 "Killer" effects +7 Critical hit rate +10% Physical damage taken -9%
Physical damage limit +12% Critical hit damage +7%
Weapon skill damage +15%
Win Heroic version allow you add 1 extra augment + All stats +10
Win Mythic version allow you to add 2 extra augment +All stats +20
LV necessary to equip M.LV50
2000 Byakko's fangs to reach R15 NORMAL you will receive the items on coffer like Unity.
3000 Byakko's fangs to reach R25 HEROIC
4000 Byakko's fangs to reach R35 MYTHIC
These items are designed to be final content, the normal version can be obtained relatively easily, but upgrading it will require an End game LS
How the content will be released and in what years.
Nyzul, Savage, limbus 1 battlefield each one focus on "Kill enemies" -> LV200 -> 2023
Sea gods, HNM KINGS from all expansions -> lv205 -> 2024
Omega Fight & Ultima Fight -> LV210 -> 2024
Abyssea "Kings NMS" like carabosse, etc. No atmas, no crour buffs -> LV210 -> 2025
Voidwatch "Kings Nms" like HAVANA, PIL, AELLO, IG-ALIMA, Bismarck -> LV215 -> 2025
Omen V2, Unity "Kings nms", Escha kings -> LV215 -> 2026
Delve, Einherjar, Dynamis dreamlands, Legion -> LV220 -> 2026
End the updates and leave the game like that. All this content will be in horizontal progression, you will have a lot of content to play and your Linkshell will be able to do multiple weekly events, this is planned for Grind years like lv75 era. This is intended to bring back the SOCIAL aspect of the game.
Difficulty of the content.
Normal Version, designed for 12 players, can access with 18 without any penalty, win with PuGs are possible.
Heroic Version, designed for 18 players, at level of a dynamis wave 3. Need a proper end game LS
Mythic version, designed for 24 players, at the level of what should be dynamis wave 4, you can access with 18 players max. Only total elite LS will be able to tackle this content.
It will be possible for you to join shouts with Strangers, PuGs, LS with returning players or new people, will be able to farm the normal versions, but for the heroic ones you will need a good group.
Three upgrades for your ultimate weapons will be released, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Relic, mythic, empyrean, aeonic, ambuscade, prime weapons. The PATH A from dynamis divergence weapons, will be added to all the existing ultimate weapons, to the empyrean will be Occ deals quadruple damage 50%, all the weapons will have their Aftermath lv3 active 24/7.
You will need your "Ultimate weapon" + "Dynamis divergence weapon" + "Materials the price will be LOCKED at 100k on AH/Bazaar full upgrade will be 300M of gil". Nobody can sell this item for more than 100k or less than 100k. This materials will be obtained on the content above, dynamis divergence weapons will be locked at 50M gil, the materials to create these weapons will have fixed prices.
The reason why lock prices, is to avoid people overpice the dynamis divergence weapons on 500M of gil, plus people sell the materials for ridiculous prices.
2023 -> R25 -> 100M Gil Materials -> 1000 JP -> 1000 WS that deal above 10k damage will be needed AFK-LEECH will be a lot less effective. AoE WS do not count.
2024 -> R35 -> 100M Gil Materials -> 1000 JP -> same as above and overkill WS count for the 10k damage.
2025 -> R45 -> 100M GIL materials -> 1000 Jp -> same as above
New job points. 3000 more split over 3 years.
1000 points -> 10 + ALL base stats, 10 + native combat skills, + 100 HP, 100 MP, +10 Evasion, + 10 magic evasion, +10 defense. Apex enemies non aggresive, will be added on valkurm dunes, qufim island, yuhutunga jungle, yhator jungle, garlaige citadel, crawlers nest, quicksand caves, Kuftal tunnel, cape terrigan, valley sorrows, bibiki bay, Caederva mire, mamool. To reduce the congestion and give the players "Nostalgia to revisit these zones"
This is how Final Fantasy XI should stay to give players options to play a lot of content and have them with long-term goals. The reason why people go to private servers is because they miss the great variety of that content, I'm sorry devs can't have us doing the same content for 2 years, that doesn't work.