Yoshida on "the dangers of going free-to-play"

[Djeserit]

Okay, as long as the balance isn't upset, huh? As soon as you made retainers able to do more than just store crap, you made being able to buy more of them with $$$ upset the game's balance, no matter how little.

Not if venture exclusive items are purely minions, crafting mats for purely cosmetic gear, etc. So what if someone can make more money than you? What is there to buy that actually matters from a power perspective? Absolutely nothing.

[10TailBeast]

Not if venture exclusive items are purely minions, crafting mats for purely cosmetic gear, etc. So what if someone can make more money than you? What is there to buy that actually matters from a power perspective? Absolutely nothing.

By saying this you admit that they are adding something that upsets the balance of the game. I slacked off on crafting and missed out on that early gil, but that is on my own head. However, even with maxed out crafting, if I don't "fall in line" and buy retainers like everyone else, I won't be able to catch up. That is pay2win in a nutshell. The crafting is a game within a game, there is something to be won, just like dungeons. Players who buy retainers will have an advantage.

[Djeserit]

By saying this you admit that they are adding something that upsets the balance of the game. I slacked off on crafting and missed out on that early gil, but that is on my own head. However, even with maxed out crafting, if I don't "fall in line" and buy retainers like everyone else, I won't be able to catch up. That is pay2win in a nutshell. The crafting is a game within a game, there is something to be won, just like dungeons. Players who buy retainers will have an advantage.

So not being able to catch up is your definition of pay to win? Guess anyone who has been subbed 1 day longer than you must have paid to win at this game.

In the microcosm of 1 aspect of the game, sure, people with extra retainers may have an advantage. Unfortunately, you have to look at the whole game and decide if they actually gain anything by having more money. Pro tip: they don't. This is precisely WHY crafting will never be allowed to make BiS gear, so that gil doesn't = power.

So tell me then, what exactly are they paying for that qualifies as "winning"? Gil is practically useless in this game.