Why should I play FFXIV?

I know FFXIV has been going through a lot of changes since it's original launch, and since then a lot of other MMOs have emerged onto the market. My question is simple. Why should I play FFXIV as opposed to GW2, WoW, TSW, TERA, SWTOR, any other MMO really?

Same reason you play any MMO. Style, story, setting, characters, classes/jobs, progression, gear, all that stuff. All MMOs are pretty similar, as you'd expect from games of the same genre. If you like how it looks, plays and works then you should play it. If you don't, then don't. At a base level I guess it can be broken down into setting and gameplay. If you like the way those things look for this game, you should play it.

That is a great question. I feel like you are the main demographic SE should be aiming at.
I really wish I could answer it better, but to be honest, I don't have much experience with the other games to give you a good answer. I wasn't really too fond of Guild Wars 2 or TERA. GW2 entertained me for about 3 days, before I got bored of heart quests, and TERA for 2 weeks because all the people I was playing with stopped playing...

Which basically leads me to my point: Community.
I know a number of people will disagree with me, but I have found this game's community is far tightly knit than any other recent game's community. I look at my server Durandal, I always see people doing stuff together. Regardless of linkshell allegiance, I've noticed there is a wide network of people helping each other out, just hanging around in town cracking jokes in /say, or doing Moogles for the 50000th time. Maybe its nostalgia goggles, but for 2 years, I've basically watched my server grow up like some crazy dysfunctional family, and I've enjoyed every second of it.

So yeah. That's basically why I play this piece of crap game. Hopefully you can relate.

Since you seems pretty new, i'll say to wait till 2.0 and then start to play. The game will change a lot and it's hard to tell why you should play FFXIV when we don't know what 2.0 will be except of the gameplay that Yoshi show us.

The OP forgot ff11, but that's not really shocking :D

I play XIV because it aesthetically pleases me. I enjoy the storyline and the traditional FF tropes.

I play because of the community. I've tried WoW, RIFT, TERA, SWTOR, GW2, and a few others, but XIV is the only MMO I've played where the community is just so awesome. Linkshells are lively and not just with people spamming "HELP ME WITH X QUEST" or "OMG I JUST GOT X GEAR FROM THE BOSS!!!". People chat and I can easily find people to help me out with quests without having to bed since people usually enjoy helping each other out. The game is garbage, but the community is great. I hope the mainstreaming of 2.0 doesn't ruin that....because no matter how amazing an MMO is, I won't play it for long if the community sucks.

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Originally Posted by KamikazeMan

I play because of the community. I've tried WoW, RIFT, TERA, SWTOR, GW2, and a few others, but XIV is the only MMO I've played where the community is just so awesome. Linkshells are lively and not just with people spamming "HELP ME WITH X QUEST" or "OMG I JUST GOT X GEAR FROM THE BOSS!!!". People chat and I can easily find people to help me out with quests without having to bed since people usually enjoy helping each other out. The game is garbage, but the community is great. I hope the mainstreaming of 2.0 doesn't ruin that....because no matter how amazing an MMO is, I won't play it for long if the community sucks.

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I agree. For all the idiots on these forums, the community in game is far better. It was the same in XI too, bar some of the endgame shells with drama problems.

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Originally Posted by Noobenigma

I know FFXIV has been going through a lot of changes since it's original launch, and since then a lot of other MMOs have emerged onto the market. My question is simple. Why should I play FFXIV as opposed to GW2, WoW, TSW, TERA, SWTOR, any other MMO really?

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Answer: You should play because you're a fan of final fantasy and not a fan of those other games. That's the only real reason to play any single one of them, other than 'You should play because you think it will be fun. "

The main difference between any of these MMOs is their theme and style. You should play the one that fits you the best. If you have to ask why you should play, then you probably shouldn't.

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Originally Posted by Noobenigma

I know FFXIV has been going through a lot of changes since it's original launch, and since then a lot of other MMOs have emerged onto the market. My question is simple. Why should I play FFXIV as opposed to GW2, WoW, TSW, TERA, SWTOR, any other MMO really?

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While I'm flattered that you think our opinion is worth asking for, you're asking the wrong person entirely. The only person who knows what games you enjoy is you.

Does FFXIV look fun to you? Then play it!

Is it fun to play? Then keep playing!

It's that simple.