Question: Buying the game...

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Thanks for the info. What happens if I don't buy the newest expansion? I mean I have to buy the base game for 19.99 the another 50 or so for Heavensward... it all is running into money. How often do they have expansions coming out? If I wait for Heavensward to come out and buy that one do I still need to purchase the base game?

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If you don't buy the newest expansion, you can't access the new content and your level cap won't be increased. Heavensward will be the first expansion to come out, expect them around every 2-3 years. Yes, you have to buy the base game and each expansion, buying just the newest expansion will unfortunately get you nowhere.

I'd like to warn you again. The other guy here sounded a bit optimistic about the future of PS3. I don't believe you should expect the next expansion after Heavensward to still be released on PS3, because it's very, very possible that it might not be, and it's better not to get your expectations up only to have them disappointed. If at all possible, I highly recommend fixing your laptop and getting the PC version instead.

If you don't purchase Heavenward then you will still have access to all of ARR's content, just none of Heavensward's. General quality of life updates (such as changes to the user interface) you will still probably get, but as the ARR updates will end when Heavenward comes out you won't have access most of the updates going forward.

That said, there is a lot of content in ARR (also called 2.0), and you probably won't even be affected by anything in Heavenward until you reach level 50. If you are not sure if you are want to commit the money then I'd wait on purchasing Heavensward until you are closer to lvl 50.

Heavensward is FFXIV first expansion as ARR was more of a reboot than an expansion. If they continue on the same pattern then expansions will come out every 1.5 to 2 years. Keep in mind you also get large content updates about every three months, with minor updates in between, as part of purchasing the expansion.

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I am also pessimistic on how long SE will continue to support the PS3 version as Heavensward is the only expansion that they have defiantly said will be supported. It could go either way for future expansions. While the PS2 was supported for a long time for XI, it also ended up hindering XI's development. The director/producer Yoshida has said that continuing to support the PS3 after Heavensward will depend on the size PS3 playerbase and how constrained the team feels by the PS3's hardware. PC will be supported for the life of the game :).

Naria - All good info. Thanks! How long does it take to get to level 50 on average? So let's say I buy the base game and play until level 50. Then one day I buy Heavensward. If the future expansion don't go into the PS3 systems then am I stuck on level 50-60 forever? Is is worth the money doing that?

I can't afford a new PC and I don't think I should have to buy a new one because of a game but I also don't want to shell out 60 dollars for the games and a monthly fee just to have to stop playing a year or two from now. I think it would be kind of stupid and unfair to make Heavensward work with PS3 and then the next expansion not. Take our money then tells us we no longer can play.

How fast you level will depend on how frequently you play and if you skip cses/text (I recommend you don't as the team has put a lot of effort into creating FFXIV's lore and culture). Assuming you play a few hours every day then I would say it would take a month to reach lvl 50. If future expansions don't come out on the PS3, then you won't be able to access any of their content on the PS3 (zones, races, dungeons etc). I'm not sure how the level cap is being done as they have said you won't need a quest to unlock your level. It could be tied to the expansion or it could fall under "quality of life". Someone else may have a definite answer.

MMOs are a very competitive market, in order to stay competitive (and keep subs) they have to keep up with the changing industry. The PS3 is already no longer competitive hardware and if the amount of revenue produced from its subs is not equal to the amount of lost revenue from holding back the game technically then SE will drop support for future expansions. You will always be able to play ARR or Heavensward on the PS3, which is what you are purchasing when you buy those games. :) Sadly, that's just the numbers of it.

If your sister's laptop is the same spec and can run this game, then your's probably can also. There are a lot of tech skilled people on these boards. If you post more information about your computer we might be able to figure out if something is going wrong.

At least the base game, you're not really losing much if you buy the PS3 version now and later get the PC version (or if you just buy both versions now). They're currently running about $16 each (based on Amazon's prices - $16.00 PC and $16.12 PS3 - check around, maybe someplace else has them for even less) and you get a month of subscription time with each of them. So it's a platform's access plus a month of subscription time for only about a dollar more than just the month of subscription time alone. Get both and you'll have two months of access and be able to play from either platform.

When it comes to adding expansions, those don't come with another month of subscription time, so duplicating those purchases would be an additional expense. Buy the version for whatever platform you're primarily using at the time when you reach that expansion's content. So that may turn into something like buying Heavensward and the 4.0 expansion on PS3 and the 5.0 expansion on PC if a few years from now when 5.0 comes out you have a better PC than you do now.

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Originally Posted by Riepah

The other guy here sounded a bit optimistic about the future of PS3. I don't believe you should expect the next expansion after Heavensward to still be released on PS3, because it's very, very possible that it might not be

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Well, of course it's possible that the next expansion won't be on PS3, just like it's possible that there wouldn't even be another expansion. Nothing that far ahead is guaranteed, after all. But neither of those possibilities is realistic enough to treat as if it were a real expectation. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is at its heart a PS3 game. It didn't even come out as a PS4 launch title even though the game and console released the same year.

PS3 is still far from obsolete. Most game stores around here have a bigger PS3 section than they do a PS4 section, because PS3 still has a much bigger installed base than PS4. PS3s are also still selling pretty well (likely because PS4 not being backwards compatible means it's not replacing PS3 the way PS3 could replace PS2). That makes it even more unlikely that the install base of PS4 would overtake that of PS3 any time soon.

Plus, because the game is also on PC, it wouldn't really buy SE anything to just drop PS3 support. The only reason players joke about it being dropped is in context of made-up scenarios having SE make a new XIV for only the most top end systems, deliberately dropping the vast majority of their customer base so the top few elites can have a prettier game. After all, it would be pointless to drop PS3 support unless they were also going to drop most of their PC support as well. A PS3 is essentially just a rather low-end PC, and the things it can't do, low-end PCs can't do either.

SE is running a business. They're not going to artificially limit the number of people who can buy from them just to make the remaining few feel special. In any ongoing MMO type of game they're always going to keep lower-end support, both for consoles and PCs, because that's what allows anyone with a gaming capable machine to remain customers of theirs.

Realistically, SE might drop PS3 support once PS5 comes out, much as they dropped PS2 support once PS4 came out. At that point, PS4s will be the lower tier of machines. So, figure maybe around 2020 or so, give or take a bit, if console life-cycles remain similar.

Thank you, Niwashi! You've helped me decided to buy the game. I can't wonder what if...and not let myself enjoy the game because other think the PS3 version of the games may end eventually. Yes, maybe one did it will but it sounds like it's going to be a long way off if it did. Also when and if it did I may have a new laptop by then. I think the problem with my laptop is the core processor. My sister has almost same laptop but apparently her's it has a better specs or so I'm told.

I even have been invited to a free company once I buy the game. It's members are really nice and helpful.

Thanks again for taking the time to write the info you had. I appreciate it. I am looking forward to buying the game and having fun!
- Chi

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Originally Posted by Naria

How fast you level will depend on how frequently you play and if you skip cses/text (I recommend you don't as the team has put a lot of effort into creating FFXIV's lore and culture). Assuming you play a few hours every day then I would say it would take a month to reach lvl 50. If future expansions don't come out on the PS3, then you won't be able to access any of their content on the PS3 (zones, races, dungeons etc). I'm not sure how the level cap is being done as they have said you won't need a quest to unlock your level. It could be tied to the expansion or it could fall under "quality of life". Someone else may have a definite answer.

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I am more of a couple hours a day player. It all depends on what's going on each day. I did hear that even after I reach level 50 there is a lot to do still. Thanks for your help!

- Chi

While they may or may not be right about ps3, even if its dropped it wouldnt be for a year or two, possibly longer. If you really want to play it and ps3 is the best option at the moment then dont let that discourage you. If you love the game enough to play for 1-2 years then you probably wont mind upgrading when the time comes. And if not, then you have long enough to burn yourself out on the game til they drop ps3 support.

Keep in mind, if you ever change systems, you do not start over. Its account based and you can log into any device that supports FFXIV as long as your account has access to it.

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Originally Posted by ChiKittie

Like the game won't work on PS3 anymore? Why would they do that ever if the game is for sale on PS3?

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Yoshi had said they will be dropping PS3 support for the game at some point because it is holding the game back. He said there were many things they would like to do, but can't until PS3 support is dropped. I use to play on PS3 before upgrading to PS4 version, and the PS3 version was horrendous. It struggles to run the game in some areas, especially in areas with higher player populations. They were originally going to support PS3 up to the first expansion, but have since extended PS3 support through Heavensward expansion. My guess is they'll drop it for the expansion after Heavensward. Keep in mind that if ever upgrade to PS4 version you will need to buy the game again as December 2014 is when they ended the free upgrade from PS3 to PS4 version, unless they extended it and I'm unaware of it.

Basically, you could be buying a game you'd have to buy again later. Then again, I would think once SE does drop PS3 support, that they would allow PS3 players to upgrade to PS4 for free, otherwise that would be a crappy move on SE's part.