What other MMO has done this, and why does SE think it's a good idea?

[Natsuno]

Not sure what you mean by completely different thing, the other person was talking about new players being left behind stuck on old low level content, the mercenary system is designed for the sole purpose of helping with low level content like dungeons along side the fact there is a lot of other elements which makes worrying about new players and old content less worry worthy.

The Grand Company system that was spoken of in a live letter (iirc), where you take a squad squad of GC members into a dungeon to level them up. The other that I know of is the ability to go in there at you current level (not level or ilvl synced). This has NOT been confirmed though, they only said they are not ruling it out.

I have no idea where you go that idea, it will be gated for all both prior and after launch of 3.0. There is no evidence it will be limited to anything related to pre-orders even in the links you provided.

In the link I gave it doesn't say anywhere that it would extend beyond 3.0 either. Is schrodinger's cat dead or alive? Has someone from SE expicitly said it would? Can you provide a link to that? Everyone else is busy jumping to their own conclusions and basing it as fact, getting their own ideas on what may or may not happen. There isn't alot of information to go on at this point in time.

I personally have not see evidence that Ishgard is just a safe bridge distance from Coerthas

http://www.finalfantasy.net/wp-conte...hgard-city.jpg

Is this not it?

Er, you sure about that? The only type of "mercenary" system I've heard SE talk about is one that helps players without FC airships get to the FC airship areas.

Ohhh... that merc system. Well that is completely different.