Launch Predictions!

I'm curious how people think Launch is going to go:

1) Successful? - Is it going to be hugely popular with more users than planned?

2) Smooth? - Will there be bugs and crashes? Or just server queues and some slowness? Or smooth like butter?

My gut feeling is that the game is going to be extremely popular at launch. People are looking for a new quality polished MMO and FFXIV delivers.

I want to be optimistic about bugs and errors but again my feeling is that its going to be a tough launch from this perspective. Going to be alot of QQing - perhaps due to the major success its going to be. I predict some server restarts during early access and especially on Launch Day. Hope I'm wrong.

Undoubtedly their will be lots of users. But I have been playing XI since 2004 and XIV since 2011. Releases and updates have always caused a problem with servers. When it comes to servers SE really throw in the towel. I believe since so many people pre-ordered EA will be unstable BUT I hope this will motivate them to make sure the 27th will not see further problems. However I wont hold my breath on this.

All launches will have some hiccups along the way its just the way it is with these sorts of games, and no matter how good SE do they will not be able to please everyone especially as i believe this game will be very popular to begin with. This is because at launch not only do they have new players joining they potentially have all previous FF14 1.0 owners as well.
Im hoping the quality of game and content will continue for years to come as from what i have seen of the game so far, it is very well designed and highly enjoyable (again that is my opinion).

Gonna F5 like hell after 8.30 GMT so I can get in directly when it's up and create a new char on another server.

I think every minute after it's up you chance shrinks with like 1% to either pick a server or being able to log in.

Every MMO is popular at launch. The real question is: how long do I have to wait to get in? I doubt anything major explodes, but who knows.

4102, 100000. The natural step in evolution of 3102 and 90000. :-P

I am just crossing my fingers hoping that 3102 error is gone for good.

There will always be bugs, but I feel that launch will be smooth. As for successful, I believe the game will achieve what it sets out to do.

I actually think the demand will (as always) outstrip SE's expectations.
Even after Beta P4, the forums, their account site, and everything else related, has remained slow as hell. This leaves me to believe that they will either have an above-normal Open-Beta-New-Player-Retention-Rate; OR... their servers are literally on fire and not yet fully recovered from the madness that was Phase 4.

I hope and pray it all goes well, but I have also learned to know better when it comes to expectations and reality...

I suspect it will be hugely successful. WoW has lost 4.3 million subscribers, I count myself amongst them. This game is exactly what I had been looking for in an MMO. So I could see Square picking up a lot of former WoW players. The game is solid and really awesome.