I don't think its entirely just the sticker shock of the cost that's driving the flames here. It's the fact that a vast majority of players feel that housing is a fundamental right that all players should have access to own regardless of standing or funds. It's just something expected and it wasn't exactly presented up until this point as being anything less. Now those few whom don't care so much about the situation, try inserting another desirable or convenience item in place of housing. What if you were not allowed any mounts in the game at all and had to compete in an 80 million gil auction against a swarm of other players and groups to buy the only available chocobo. But you may end up with a sickly and ugly one you didn't really want that is if they weren't already all sold out. What if you were not allowed to have any retainers under the same circumstances? That's how important and essential a home is to a good deal of players. I think the design team may have also misjudged this importance as well. It's not entirely too late, there's some fixes that can be made. I hope they had a plan B in store, this is really terrible PR to have right in the middle of a major publicity event.