“Normal work conditions” was SB and HW, they also had a x.55 not a x.6
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Do you honestly, sincerely, believe that? Really? That SQ have secretly been working on an exploratory zone or a firmament 2.0 or something else, that would keep everyone occupied and busy for pre-7.0, but decided not to say one little hint about it and are going to surprise us with it? Come on. Has there ever been a time they dropped actual, significant, content without saying anything before hand? I doubt that there's going to be anything substantial in the next couple fan fests, just expanding on what they have already announced/hinted at.
Even if they actually acknowledged and recognized these issues and wanted to fast track something from 7.0 into post-6.5, do you really think they could do that in time?
All this stuff said, some people have said look at what Mr Happy is saying:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrVyf3B07SU
I'd like to note someone basically presented him this question of if EW will, in hindsight, be the worst expansion. Without missing a beat, he says no, HW has that dubious honor. He goes into his reasoning why, then lists his best to worst as SB, ShB, EW, ARR, and then HW. His reasoning is that, until 3.4, there was nothing for anyone to do unless they were hardcore raiders, and that even for the raiders, it was kind of Gordias or bust, and many raid groups were not able to clear that content on patch. Happy's been pretty consistent about saying HW almost killed the game again.
Note that he does share the big concern many here have expressed, though: That EW's content largely lacks replayability, something he says that SE needs to address going forward.
So given we're trying to consider the words of content creators, and Happy is PROBABLY the most widely consumed and well known of them, I think it's fair to introduce his position as a more moderate voice of fairness here. Note again, he still DOES share the complaint, but he's got reasoning (and personal experience) behind why he says HW was the worst in this respect and that EW is "in the middle", to use his wording.
Patch 2.0: A Realm Reborn
Patch 2.1: A Realm Awoken
Patch 2.2: Through the Maelstrom
Patch 2.3: Defenders of Eorzea
Patch 2.4: Dreams of Ice
Patch 2.5: Before the Fall
Patch 3.0: Heavensward
Patch 3.1: As Goes Light, So Goes Darkness
Patch 3.2: The Gears of Change
Patch 3.3: Revenge of the Horde
Patch 3.4: Soul Surrender
Patch 3.5: The Far Edge of Fate
Patch 4.0: Stormblood
Patch 4.1: The Legend Returns
Patch 4.2: Rise of a New Sun
Patch 4.3: Under the Moonlight
Patch 4.4: Prelude in Violet
Patch 4.5: A Requiem for Heroes
Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers
Patch 5.1: Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty
Patch 5.2: Echoes of a Fallen Star
Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal
Patch 5.4: Futures Rewritten
Patch 5.5: Death Unto Dawn
Patch 6.0: Endwalker
Patch 6.1: Newfound Adventure
Patch 6.2: Buried Memory
Patch 6.3: Gods Revel, Lands Tremble
Patch 6.4: The Dark Throne
Patch 6.5: Growing Light
Vel has been playing for so much longer than me (at least according to them), and even I know that, really makes you question things
https://media.tenor.com/gW9q9RNoFJ8A...t-pingpong.gif
Who will run out of posts first?!! Nobody knows!!!
Heavensward also released back in 2015 and we're currently just a handful of months away from it being the year 2024. The first expansion for a game having teething problems is to be expected. Endwalker is the fourth expansion pack for the game and I think it's fair to suggest that a healthy balance in terms of content with staying power for veteran players really should have been actively embraced by the development team by this point.
I agree ff14 was still growing when heavansward came out and they were still trying to find there footing and balancing for types of content. Hevansward had issues but being the first expansion it was still a good attempt at providing varied content even with balancing issues and other issues. With endwalkers being the 4th expansion it shouldn't have worse retention then the first expansion.