Would you be upset if the game went offline?

[Soukyuu]

edit: Wait till 1.18 then complain.

"Wait until beta, then complain"
"Wait until release, then complain"
"Wait until march, then complain"
"Wait until 1.18, then complain"
"Wait until the PS3 version, then complain"
"Wait until" ... should I continue?

Seriously, I'm tired of waiting. I've been on the "other" side, supporting SE because I believed they could make it, but after almost a year later they've made less progress than they made from alpha to beta! (Note that I'm not denying they did make progress)

I paid money for a beta-in-a-box and I was expecting it. But I was also expecting SE to get off their asses and make significant progress after that. Instead we are still waiting and I'm slowly becoming quite bitter about it, especially hearing their excuses(?) lately about why something can not be implemented.

To answer OP's question, taking down servers would save them money and woudn't change anything for me. I guess it wouldn't do good for their reputation though.

I'm giving them time until September 22nd. If the game won't be in a better state until then, I'll be leaving.
And I doubt I will be inclined to ever touch anything SE ever again. Clarification: anything MMO/PC related.

Give every purchaser of FFXIV a choice:

1. Start paying a subscription fee as of 1.20. Servers will be merged as necessary, PS3 release might never come. Work on FFXIV slows as it is handed over to a skeleton team.
2. Cancel your FFXIV account and get a voucher for S-E's next MMO, for price of purchase and 6 months comped gameplay. The ~200 people working on FFXIV now get put to work on this new game, which is called just Final Fantasy Online, to come out in 24 months. S-E decides in the next 3 months whether Crystal Tools can be salvaged or whether to license a functional engine like Frostbite.
3. Cancel your FFXIV account and get your money back for both the initial purchase and any Crysta you bought.

Everyone gets to choose. [...]
Won't happen.

But that's what they should do.

I agree. Both with your proposal and that it won't happen.