The gaming industry is just that - an industry, i.e. a business. Catering to a select "hardcore" few will never be as profitable as appealing to the majority of people. Consider this example: There's a restaurant, the ElBulli, which was judged number one best restaurant in the world a record 5 times. Guess what happened to it? It went bankrupt. Now look at McDonald's. The food it serves can only barely be described as food without using ironic air quotes, and yet it generates a ridiculous amount of revenue. If you're a business, which of these two models is the more sustainable and profitable?

Edit: Just thought I'd note that I wasn't comparing FFXIV to McDonald's; it's just an example =)