Source: http://www.usgamer.net/articles/fina...living-economy
copy/pasted for those who don't want to click the link:
Final Fantasy XIV’s Yoshida: PVP Creates a “Real, Living Economy”
In a post-launch interview, Mike talks with Naoki Yoshida about PVP, evolving Final Fantasy design, and bringing the East and West together.
USG: With that big focus on story, the game seems mostly complete. Do you really need PVP in FFXIV?
NY: This is decision that gets really deep into the basic design of an MMORPG. In most MMORPGs, you have crafters and gatherers that support and build the economy of an MMO. The gatherers will gather the material and the crafters will take the materials and they're craft things. But to make sure that gatherer and crafters have things to create, you need content that uses these things. You need to create a demand for those items. By having more content, like PVP, then it will use these items.
In a game like this, we don't expect every player to play PVP. We actually think it's going to be around 15 to 20 percent of the userbase. These players, when they really get into PVP, are going to need different types of items and armor than they will need in PVE. For example, when you're fighting a single monster and that monster casts Sleep on you, you won't really need an armor that might cut that Sleep in half, because it's a one-on-one thing and you can wait that 30 seconds. But in a PVP-type of battle you're not going to want to stand there for 30 seconds because that could be the end of you. So, you're going to need a different type of armor, armor that will cut that Sleep versus fighting a regular monster. You're going to need all of these specialty items that won't really help a lot in PVE, but will help in PVP. By creating this new set of items that are only for PVP, it's creating more work for those crafters and gatherers.
PVP armor will be different from the FF-style armor you'll be using in encounters like this.
And of course, we have other items like potions and food. These things are going to be used a lot more in PVP than they will be in PVE. On top of that, you have things like the housing system, things that players don't have to play; if they want to concentrate on PVE that's fine. If they don't want to concentrate on PVP, that's fine. Maybe they just want to focus on housing. You have all of those different aspects of games beyond just one single one that you can build the economy off of. Crafters will be able to create for not just one of these areas, but for all three areas. That will create a real, living economy and support those players and what they want to do in the game.
Because this game, while it is a Final Fantasy game, it is also an MMORPG. We have to recognize what things are necessary for an MMORPG. I personally like PVP and want to have that in the game.