The year is 2032...

What has SE done up to that point keep FFXIV relevant and/or competitive with other MMOs? For those who might be genuinely confused as to where this is going, this is just thoughts I had for fun regarding YoshiP's statement about wanting the game to go on for the next ten years. (Plus I'm at work and bored out of my skull cuz there's almost nothing to do today).

Feel free to speculate on just about anything they might do on any level: the gameplay itself, business operations, finances, art and story direction, features, qols, etc. Here are mine just off the top of my head:

- In 2027, YoshiP implements full VR immersion for certain parts of the game (housing, dungeon explorer mode, spearfishing) but it's initially clunky and it has some bugs. He manages to iron those things out completely in one expansion and a half).

- Speaking of expansions, evidently, new region will be used as springboards for the story.

-FFXIV finally undergoes an engine upgrade in 2030, stating that the release of PS6 is now the right time to do it.

-Single role playing mode is a mixed success as customers ask themselves should they actually pay msrp prices for a single player experience that makes them think they're still playing on the ps3. (The mixed success is one of the things that make them eventually realize ff14 needs the upgrade).

-SE overturns YoshiP and tentatively sell a game pass that allows players to get more of a particular currency (idk, scrips or some shit). It's popular with the new crowd and is horrifically and terribly received by the old crowd.

-SE releases a bunch of anime for ff14. Since Daddy of Light was basically a greenlight to try more media, the first anime is slice of life about some teens enjoying the game while the second is set in universe, minus the WoL. Third one might be an adaptation of the currently existing manga.

- One year after the upgrade, SE moderately succeeds at keeping up with most of the UI tools that players had to download as a 3rd party tool. Moderately because SE takes their sweet, sweet time and 3rd party devs are too far ahead

Why do I have a strong feeling all of this with the exception of VR will probably happen?
Anyone with a time machine? Might prefer going back in time over the incoming crap....

*nods*
I see, but what does that mean for the mogshop?

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Originally Posted by Raoabolic

*nods*
I see, but what does that mean for the mogshop?

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Unfortunately, I see mogshop overstepping their bounds. The game pass is the least worst one. In six years, I see the execs try to make things more exciting by introducing more FF series glam (starting with a promo crossover with ff16) but then offer some versions of the same outfit but with better stats as gacha. I even see cash shop exclusive glowing equipment.

All this and more if they don't manage to retain subs or incite more players into joining the game.

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Originally Posted by SenorPatty

The year is 2032...
What has SE done up to that point keep FFXIV relevant and/or competitive with other MMOs?

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Ok, first I have to make a set of assumptions.

1: Russia Does not invade Poland, or launch a first strike on the UK, or attempt a first Strike on the USA.
2: China Does Not invade Taiwan
3: North Korea Does Not launch a First Strike on South Korea, or Japan.
4: The 3 remaining Major Communist Nuclear Powers do not Start WW3 officially.
5: Sony Does Not Buy Square Enix, and/or all the Games made by SE (because SE just sold a bunch of games and it's Canadian Studios to a Holding Company from Europe.)
6: Square Enix is able to remain an independent S Tier game developer.
7: MMORPGs are still played by Gen Z. (because lets face it, Gen X and Gen Y are getting older, and keeping an MMO going will become harder for us.)

So... now these are established.

If and only if, the FFXIV dev team can continue releasing good quality story, and maintains a high degree of polish, while not becoming "Elitist Jerks"* than I foresee a good 10 more years of 14. Hell FFXI is still going and it's over 20 now.

Likewise, I can go deeper on my 10 year prediction. The MMORPG genre might be saved if Microsoft can fix some blaring issues with WOW, for starters they need to fire the entire leadership of Activision-Blizzard, and Fire Ion Hazzikostas.



*Ion Hazzikostas is the former leader of the Elitist Jerks guild

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Originally Posted by SenorPatty

Here are mine just off the top of my head:

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Ok, now to look over your predictions, with a critical eye, and insider knowledge of game design.

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- In 2027, YoshiP implements full VR immersion for certain parts of the game (housing, dungeon explorer mode, spearfishing) but it's initially clunky and it has some bugs. He manages to iron those things out completely in one expansion and a half).

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Yes & No. Full VR support, not really going to be a thing, as you will always need a Controller/Keyboard to play the game, however they probably will have official support for some VR, as you can already use VR to play if you use Illegal Mods. Now if Sony Playstation develops Full VR for the next PlayStation then FFXIV will upgrade to allow for it, while FFXI will no longer be supported on PlayStation (seriously full VR support would finally kill FFXI)

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- Speaking of expansions, evidently, new region will be used as springboards for the story.

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As it has always been, as it always will be. Hey new game mode, here is a full story as to why we have a mini-game casino. New gathering only zone, here is an RP reason why you are going to grind mining on floaty islands.

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-FFXIV finally undergoes an engine upgrade in 2030, stating that the release of PS6 is now the right time to do it.

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Yes & No. Even WOW which upgraded it's 2004 engine twice, and had the largest budget of any MMORPG for years, never replaced it's engine, upgrade yes, they do behind the scenes upgrades every patch, the have rebuilt the current engine 3 times in FFXIV, once from release to ARR, and gradually piece by piece over the last 9 years.
quick edit: you think it will take 10 years from PS5 to PS6?

ps 1994
ps1 2000
ps2 2000 (6 years)
ps2slim 2004
ps3 2006 (6 years)
ps3slim 2009
ps3superslim 2012
ps4 2013 (7 years)
ps4slim 2016
ps4pro 2016
ps5 2020 (7 years)
*ps6 2030* (10 years)

Not likely, I see a slim/pro version next year at the latest (due to GPU slowdown from covid and silicon shortage)
And PS6 should release late 2027, maybe 2028 due to the silicon issue.

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-Single role playing mode is a mixed success as customers ask themselves should they actually pay msrp prices for a single player experience that makes them think they're still playing on the ps3. (The mixed success is one of the things that make them eventually realize ff14 needs the upgrade).

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The game has always been single player friendly, I'm a solo MMO player, there is a large portion of every MMO community that prefers the full immersive feel of a MMORPG while playing it solo. I honestly hate forced Group Play. I raided Hard-core in Early WOW, and never again will I put myself through that stress, I play for the never ending story, I play for the feeling of not being a human on Earth.

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-SE overturns YoshiP and tentatively sell a game pass that allows players to get more of a particular currency (idk, scrips or some shit). It's popular with the new crowd and is horrifically and terribly received by the old crowd.

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Not likely, game pass, and currency scams are what happens to MMORPGs that no longer get supported by the original dev team as a way to milk the player base dry before closing the game. WOW is already on that path, although they refuse to admit that to themselves.

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-SE releases a bunch of anime for ff14. Since Daddy of Light was basically a greenlight to try more media, the first anime is slice of life about some teens enjoying the game while the second is set in universe, minus the WoL. Third one might be an adaptation of the currently existing manga.

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The current Manga for FFXIV is a slice of life not set in our game world but a FinalFantasy version of Japanese High School, there is another Manga (a really good and dramatic one) that is sort of set in Eorzea (but more like a reflection based on all Final Fantasy) which would make a good anime. Although being an isekai, and because the isekai genre is played out I doubt it.

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- One year after the upgrade, SE moderately succeeds at keeping up with most of the UI tools that players had to download as a 3rd party tool. Moderately because SE takes their sweet, sweet time and 3rd party devs are too far ahead

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/leSigh
Odds are in a year or two we might see chat bubbles. But the rest of the popular addons that are completely banned, will never see the light of day. They might add a DPS meter function to Target dummies to help players learn their rotations. But that is about it. And honestly I would rather see a glam dresser upgrade that allows for players to actually keep full sets of gear to include jewelry. Instead of picking one Job and destroying the overflow. Honestly the WOW transmog system would be great.

Sadly Yoshi was too busy working on the latest Sony solo game - FFXX - and forgot to check the now quite antiquated XIV servers, they crashed with a bug and every character was deleted due to something being zero when it shouldn't be.

A few tears were shed by a now quite aged Yoshi in Live Letter MCM, and he bowed deeply, and said not to worry, that we would enjoy FFXX solo-play and to please look forward to it.

As compensation we get 1 month free-play on FFXX and a Sony rootkit.

(Oh, just before the 2032 server crash, the forums were still burning about a lack of housing)

I know one thing, the people who complain the game has been on a consistent downward trend since Heavensward will still be playing, and paying, and here complaining that the devs still don't listen to them.

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Originally Posted by StriderShinryu

I know one thing, the people who complain the game has been on a consistent downward trend since Heavensward will still be playing, and paying, and here complaining that the devs still don't listen to them.

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The funny thing is when you see in the big threads one of the first responses being '' nah, I am enjoying it '' and it has triple the upvotes as well as random memes with double.
But then the whole thread just becomes the same people spam posting and convince themselves when they view their own handiwork that it represents '' the community ''.
Rinse and repeat.