Forcing players to pay to keep housing is unfair.

[LadyKairi]

Again: it is not a valid argument to claim that it's not worth fixing something because few people use or like the current crap system. That is why it needs to be fixed.

What you don't seem to understand is how our devs work. Their main concern is the MAJORITY. They don't make super hard content because such a small portion of the player base would actually do it/get through it. This game is very casual friendly. Why? Because they are the MAJORITY. Businesses do that. Why? Because it makes them more money. You may think it is not a good excuse for it to not be "fixed", but I highly doubt SE will risk it. Yoshi won't steer away from our content formula BECAUSE it's safe. It's all about playing safe with them, and I doubt that'll change anytime soon.

[Solarra]

...This game is very casual friendly. Why? Because they are the MAJORITY. Businesses do that. Why? Because it makes them more money. You may think it is not a good excuse for it to not be "fixed", but I highly doubt SE will risk it. Yoshi won't steer away from our content formula BECAUSE it's safe. It's all about playing safe with them, and I doubt that'll change anytime soon.

Player housing is about as casual as you can get and it is very popular, as this and other games have proven. However, there are significant flaws with the implementation in FFXIV, the main one being access.

While getting any sort of housing on a large server is a struggle for the majority of players, the most plentiful types of housing are severely limited, too. Small houses can only have a few utility furnishings (gardens, workstations etc.) and apartments are even tinier, more limited on utilities and have no outside area at all.

I'd argue there is little financial risk to the company in improving access to quality housing, in fact, there is probably a lot to be gained. At the moment, furnishings on the Mog Station like the Eastern Cherry Trees can only be used by a tiny proportion of players, more player housing would mean a lot more sales and would probably help with player retention,too.

Apartments were a step in the right direction, but because they are so limited, they haven't eased demand for 'real' houses. Most people who want housing want a garden or some sort of outside area at the very least.
I don't see instanced housing coming any time soon, though I still think it's the best solution. However, I am hoping they will introduce upgrades to the apartments, including balconies/patio areas and the chance to buy extra/larger rooms.

[alimdia]

What you don't seem to understand is how our devs work. Their main concern is the MAJORITY.

No, their main goal is providing a theme park game with attractions for any kind of player, otherwise this game wouldn't have raids at all if less than 10% of the players do them, no pvp either, nothing but play dress and tomestone grind.

Not to mention housing is casual content so if we go by your point there's even more of a reason to fix housing, it's content for the majority.

[Naunet]

This game is very casual friendly. Why? Because they are the MAJORITY.

Housing is the epitome of casual content. I know many players in WildStar who have played for two and a half years yet barely level their characters - or only leveled to 50 to access some decor that's on rep vendors - because they spend pretty much all their game time in housing. When those ~*~*hardcore*~*~ raiders quit, it's the casual players who stick around. It's the folk buried eyebrow deep in housing plans who maintain subscriptions.

I don't know why you have a hate-on for housing.

There is nothing "lacking" here

Nor here:

[HyoMinPark]

Their main concern is the MAJORITY.

I mean, we get a bazillion threads every other week on here and other sites complaining about how crappy the housing in FFXIV is. I think that would mean the issue is significant enough that the devs need to look further into it, and do something about it. Something more than just the bread crumbs they've given us. (Just can't with those apartments... step in the right direction, but they're basically an FC room...)

[Naunet]

I mean, we get a bazillion threads every other week on here and other sites complaining about how crappy the housing in FFXIV is. I think that would mean the issue is significant enough that the devs need to look further into it, and do something about it. Something more than just the bread crumbs they've given us. (Just can't with those apartments... step in the right direction, but they're basically an FC room...)

Indeed. Aside from the glamour log, this housing issues are some of the most-repeated complaints on this forum.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Indeed. Aside from the glamour log, this housing issues are some of the most-repeated complaints on this forum.

Agreed. Sadly, I suspect they won't do anything for a while. Housing is less an issue on smaller servers and it almost seems like they want that to be an incentive to not transfer.