ARR has 600k subscribers

[Orophin]

For FFXIV, 2.1 will be the decisive sink or swim factor. If done right, it may yet hold. If not... Well, we all know where it goes for the "do nots".

I think the main disadvantage for 2.1 will be the fact that Crystal Tower precedes Coil in terms of difficulty and item drops. This only affects the very small minority of hardcore players I think, but I think SE will still lose some subscriptions until 2.2 unless there's some other things that will keep them playing. (Housing, PvP, new dungeons, new quests)

[ashikenshin]

I think the main disadvantage for 2.1 will be the fact that Crystal Tower precedes Coil in terms of difficulty and item drops. This only affects the very small minority of hardcore players I think

I don't think it affects them that much. There are a lot of coils players that are running around with only myth/philo pieces. Having another source of gear is good for everybody. Even moreso for players who go to the raids as a class that is not their preferred class.

Example:

favorite class: warrior
raid group already has two paladins as tanks and wont take my warrior to the raids so I take my conjurer there. I gear said conjurer with myth and drops since it is what I'm taking to the raid. I want to gear up my warrior with something else than philo gear. Crystal tower!

[Lord_Zlatan]

I think the main disadvantage for 2.1 will be the fact that Crystal Tower precedes Coil in terms of difficulty and item drops. This only affects the very small minority of hardcore players I think, but I think SE will still lose some subscriptions until 2.2 unless there's some other things that will keep them playing. (Housing, PvP, new dungeons, new quests)

True enough but even for the hardcore that have completed the content, Crystal Tower will facilitate gearing a second character. Filling the gap from iLvl 70 ---> 90. Running CT on secondary classes will be a good way to fill in AK+WP farming.