Is the PS3(4?) holding back the game?

[Ryel]

Not wrong at all. They used PS2 limitations as an excuse for the longest. If the PS2 limits their ability to increase inventory space and they still did it years later while XI is still a PS2 game as of 2014, that means the limitation wasn't what held it back, just them not wanting to do the work around needed to get it, hence "no current plans" Anyone who's played XI knows they used quite a lot of excuses to not give us what we wanted at the time. They said they couldn't take inventories past 70 because of "PS2 limitations" and "we can't offer any other inventory systems due to it", yet they introduced Mog Sack, Satchel and Mog Case.

Then again I've learned not to take things as face value when it comes to business, perk of working with them I guess.

It's funny though - whenever someone asks about why PC Only MMOs never really do much beyond "the safe route" no one has an answer - If consoles hold back MMOs, what's holding back MMOs on a platform with virtually no limits as the technology improves basically every couple of months? Pretty sure having access to more than 16gb ram and terabytes upon terabytes of drive space ontop of 6+ core processors can lead to some pretty amazing things....

Yet most PC only MMOs are still designed like 2004 PC MMOs with prettier graphics. You can try to argue "to allow everyone to play", but in reality, if you're rocking a Dual Core or Core Duo PC/Laptop in 2014..they really shouldn't be designing with that in mind, because that means console based MMOs are technically better at that point.

So since you can see the future and believes SE tells no lies - What's the PS3 and PS4 holding back? What couldn't they do in the first Expansion due to the system that held back a system? I mean, if SE can introduce new systems to a PS2 era MMO in a monthly update, what can they not do with a game developed on the PC and later ported to consoles?

You're trying so hard to make the point that a PC only MMO should have this groundbreaking set of systems and mechanics that would fully tax most high end PCs that you're missing the simple fact that most modern MMOs designed to hit a large number of average spec PCs would already blow away what the Ps3 is capable of.

I really don't want this to delve further into a PC vs Console discussion more than it's starting to already, the OP asked if the Ps3/4 will pose issues for the game in the long run and the simple answer is this:

If this game wants to maintain longevity and still compete on the level of modern MMOs being released both now and in the next few years the Ps3 will have to be dropped.

As stated in this thread already Yoshida is aware of this and is prepared to do so. However it wont likely happen within the next year or two, and more than likely you'll have plenty of notice / time to either invest in a Ps4 or a new PC by that time as either option will most likely last you much longer.