Concern on the current state of FFXIV, and future content

[Vhailor]

Here's the thing though: As has been stated before, the forums only represent a handful of the playerbase. While everyone here may be practically rioting over how the game is going out of sheer disappointment, so many others continue to enjoy the game. There will always be those that like how the game is going and dislike how the game is going, and SE (or any other company for that matter) will never be able to satisfy everyone. People keep requesting "new" content be added to FF14, but what is new exactly? Something completely original? Something from other games? Something different the game doesn't have yet? Perhaps all of the above? SE tries at least one of these things, and it can be hit or miss to individuals, but only time will tell if more than half the playerbase considers it hit or miss. So long as the game's direction isn't overall a miss they will likely have no reason to change it, and stick to what they have planned in advance.

I cannot disagree more, and I think this perspective is actually quite toxic.

Firstly, it effectively excuses SE from the piss-poor job they've done QA'ing content. Diadem, Diadem 2.0, Diadem 3. - err, Eureka* - all of them were painfully bad upon release, boring enough that SE clearly didn't test them in a realistic setting. This should have been obvious after Hunts and both Diadem versions flopped so badly right out of the gate, and they've made no effort to fix it. That's an issue of SE simply being satisfied with poorly-tested content, which is not something the player base should be allowed to forgive.

Secondly, the goal of new content cycle isn't to please more players than it pisses off. It's not a binary scale. Most people should like it; most of the rest should tolerate it even if it's not their favourite thing to do; only a small minority should be outright disappointed.

Finally, it excuses SE for what amounts to a tremendously risky approach to FFXIV. You're essentially saying that SE should ignore all available evidence, despite its dire predictions. That there's no need to change what they're doing, because nothing truly awful has happened yet. All of this, despite the fact that the problem is one that arguably cannot be fixed after it has become obvious; that the only real solution is a proactive solution. I'm sure if SE is interested in nothing more than short-term profits, this will work out fine, but there's a solid chance they're strangling their flagship MMO in the long run, and tarnishing the Final Fantasy brand in the process.

I very much struggle to see how all of this adds up to a reasonable course of action on SE's part, one the player base should just accept quietly.

[Vahlnir]

-snip-

Pretty much this, and also why I'm trying to be vocal about this. (moreso than in the past about things)

There's no excuse for this. None. No good one, at least. I've been playing since 2.0 launch, and I think this is the first time I've genuinely felt let down to the point I'm not sure I'd renew my sub if I cancel it. Waiting to see what they do or don't do before I make a decision.

It took them about a year and a half to get it right, and they made some cheap XI knock off that fails to capture even how XI felt and somehow made it worse than Diadem. I didn't think that was even possible. If I wasn't so irritated about the whole thing I'd be impressed.