Whats going on with SE ?

[Riardon]

I'm not going to unsubscribe, but I am going to stop buying glamour items from the MogStation. I won't support things that are overpriced. (Keeping my extra retainer, though.)

Actually that's the best and wisest decision. you are giving them the right message. I want to play your game but I don't want your overpriced cash shop items (which became more expensive over time step by step and character only lol).
If only everyone was thinking like that SE would have forced to retreat with their cash shop and premium app plans.

[Remedi]

Or maybe they would simply other way to get revenue

[kikix12]

What's crazy to me is people who have been playing this game for years are not happy with it... but instead of actually quitting and playing something else they demand that ff14 changes it's formula to suit their tastes... THIS IS FF14... not wow, eso, nambla or whatever you want this game to copy...

The app was not here "for years". The oversimplification of things was a gradual thing as well.

If they continued to expand on what Final Fantasy XIV was without changing stuff up, some people would complain that doing the same thing over and over is boring...but that's about all you'd get to see in the field of complaints. But they are changing things...but choosing the changes that usually bring large outrage from the vocal parts of the communities in games that do it (oversimplification in an RPG game, grind in casual games, time-consuming content in a game aimed at casuals with little time to play at one go and so on). That being said, these complaints will continue.

As to why people don't leave...there are multiple reasons for that.
1) The pros still outweigh the cons. There is no ideal game, so some problems are expected. So long as you are going to have more fun than not when playing, why not continue?! That doesn't mean that you cannot be vocal about what you do dislike.
2) People have made investments...and people tend to hold onto what they invested into with a passion. That's why there are so many toxic couples that continue to be with each other for years or even decades, that's why there are people that use cars that are falling apart even if their repairs cost them more than buying a different car, used but in good state etc.
3) Some care most about the community aspect. I know of people that kept logging into various MMO's for a long while onto to talk with other players. Hardly ever doing any content...Those people may still complain about the game, but they are held by the one thing that the content is not relevant for.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but these three above are most common.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Or maybe they would simply other way to get revenue

Unlikely, since that would only damage their reputation further. Look at how quickly EA backed down once people literally boycotted Battlefront II. They could have tried squeezing the playerbase they did have, but chose to not gamble additional losses. Bungie, meanwhile, took the approach you fear and has nearly destroyed an entire franchise with Destiny 2. Their reputation has taken such a hit, they may be fast-tracking Destiny 3 earlier than anticipated.

What's crazy to me is people who have been playing this game for years are not happy with it... but instead of actually quitting and playing something else they demand that ff14 changes it's formula to suit their tastes... THIS IS FF14... not wow, eso, nambla or whatever you want this game to copy...

Many people complaining may not necessarily feel burnt out yet themselves but simply fear the direction; hoping their complaints will convince SE to change course. I, myself, still enjoy FFXIV despite its objective flaws. At the same time, I ask myself, if the formula remains entirely identical come 5.0 or 6.0, will it finally reach the point of being too repetitive that I simply lose interest? Criticisms often come from the most diehard fans because they want reasons to stick around. I'm not near that point yet, however I can certainly appreciate people fed up with XIV's lack of innovation.

[Remedi]

Yes, but if ppl think that SE is greedy than they WILL try to find a way to monetize everything, if 1 MT won't work they'll find something that sticks and is well received, like activision-blizzard did with OW lootboxes.
I'm not saying that they'll try to squeeze us as much as possible, I'm saying they'll try something else, something that the mayority will find acceptable

[Okamimaru]

While I understand the concerns over the app and direction it hints at I have no problem whatsoever with the content cycles... it\\\\'s predictable yes... which is kinda good for people who take breaks (harder to get lost)... it\\\\'s how this game is set up... they expect people to take breaks and designed the game in a way that doesn\\\\'t really penalize you for it... this game does try new things (heavens on high isn\\\\'t a reskinned clone of potd)... Eureka had a mixed reception but they did try something different... they try new stuff... some goes well some goes horribly bad (Lord of Verminion I\\\\'m looking at you)... I\\\\'m really not sure what people want when they say innovative especially when they just really want a ffxi or wow clone

[AxlStream]

Consumers speak with their wallets. Also I wonder if at some point, SE isn't catering to the whales like F2P games do instead of just doing new features for the entire game...

[Lunalepsy]

Many, many things.

[Vstarstruck]

The app was not here "for years". The oversimplification of things was a gradual thing as well.

If they continued to expand on what Final Fantasy XIV was without changing stuff up, some people would complain that doing the same thing over and over is boring...but that's about all you'd get to see in the field of complaints. But they are changing things...but choosing the changes that usually bring large outrage from the vocal parts of the communities in games that do it (oversimplification in an RPG game, grind in casual games, time-consuming content in a game aimed at casuals with little time to play at one go and so on). That being said, these complaints will continue.

As to why people don't leave...there are multiple reasons for that.
1) The pros still outweigh the cons. There is no ideal game, so some problems are expected. So long as you are going to have more fun than not when playing, why not continue?! That doesn't mean that you cannot be vocal about what you do dislike.
2) People have made investments...and people tend to hold onto what they invested into with a passion. That's why there are so many toxic couples that continue to be with each other for years or even decades, that's why there are people that use cars that are falling apart even if their repairs cost them more than buying a different car, used but in good state etc.
3) Some care most about the community aspect. I know of people that kept logging into various MMO's for a long while onto to talk with other players. Hardly ever doing any content...Those people may still complain about the game, but they are held by the one thing that the content is not relevant for.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but these three above are most common.

trust me i want to return, i liked what SE (more so squaresoft) what was given to me. I want them to achieve greatness. That will never happen if your target audience i blind fans that pay anything you charge. Then your game is just there, not great, maybe not at the bottom, just average, just there for something to do.

But ya sunken cost fallacy is real, esp what you have to do to get a house. Then it is I do x or y because x or y is good with my friends, so why quit?

While I understand the concerns over the app and direction it hints at I have no problem whatsoever with the content cycles... it\\\\'s predictable yes... which is kinda good for people who take breaks (harder to get lost)... it\\\\'s how this game is set up... they expect people to take breaks and designed the game in a way that doesn\\\\'t really penalize you for it... this game does try new things (heavens on high isn\\\\'t a reskinned clone of potd)... Eureka had a mixed reception but they did try something different... they try new stuff... some goes well some goes horribly bad (Lord of Verminion I\\\\'m looking at you)... I\\\\'m really not sure what people want when they say innovative especially when they just really want a ffxi or wow clone

SE does not know either apparently. Empty content zone with fate running is innovative I guess. You blind fandboyisms is not helping the game improve, you are doing more damage then helping, like that nonsense thread you made. This is the first time I seen someone try to explain being predictable is a good thing, no it isn't.

[Vhailor]

I\\\\'m really not sure what people want when they say innovative especially when they just really want a ffxi or wow clone

Speaking personally, I want things that alter how my jobs play in a fundamental way. This is something SE hasn't achieved. Putting it another way, as a White Mage, there is virtually no difference in how I approach a 4-man dungeon at level 50, and how I approach one at level 70. I've got a few more toys, but they don't fundamentally alter my job - they just make certain things easier. This issue arises from two key failures on SE's part:

(1) Instance-specific mechanics are shallow. They are virtually all movement-based. Stack here, face this way, move out of the AoE - all of it boils down to movement. There are few exceptions that I can think of off the top of my head; the Void Ark encounter in which a pair of bosses will swap immunity to ranged or magic damage, say, or certain creatures requiring tank-swaps. The net result of this is that most fights (certainly anything below the Extreme / Savage / Ultimate tiers) feel quite boring after one has mastered the mechanics. It's same old shit, different models and movement. Hashmal doesn't feel much different than Behemoth used to back when Labyrinth of the Ancients was the only 24-person Raid available - move according to patterns, kill adds as they come up, and pound on the boss as you can. It's boring.

(2) Core game systems have not evolved / grown in any way whatsoever. The only major changes to core game systems have aimed to simplify and streamline, not to grow. This extends even to DoH and DoL jobs; why is Mining at 70 literally the same f***ing experience it was at 50? Why is Weaver? My rotation changes, but there's nothing new about the experience. Fishing got Spearfishing, but even that wasn't very new. Where are the changes to the underlying system, changes designed to really engage people who are tired of feeling like robots? And the combat jobs are even worse. There's still no real decision-making in how to gear your character; not much decision-making in how you select your Role skills; no customization, no skill trees, a minimal amount of synergy between abilities and secondary stats. Hell, there aren't even Merit Points from FFXI.

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This is a large part of why SE is struggling to release fresh-feeling content. Eureka, to pick on a relatively current example, introduced the elemental affinity system - but it was easily cycled through, and, once set properly, again fails to bring anything new to the table for us in combat. Hell, they didn't even structure it so that people had to choose whether or not they were prioritizing defense or offense; specifying the right element grants both. It introduced a new map, a new XP system, new items... but it didn't grow core combat systems in any meaningful way. So, the only thing 'new' about the experience is getting to run around panicked until you eventually level up to the point where you're helping fuel the FATE train, rather than just trying to catch a free ride. The dungeons and such released every patch are even worse.

The funny thing is, SE has been quite successful when it comes to non-Job content. The Gold Saucer, chocobo racing, Triple Triad, Housing - there's a lot of depth to the non-Job content in XIV, and new content is actually that: brand new content. Each of these things is quite unique. Say what you will about Lord of Verminion, but it's unlike anything else in the game, too. The quality varies, but the experience is fresh every single time. Could you imagine if, for three years straight, the only real addition to non-Job content was new furniture, new Gold Saucer mini-games (that are reskinned versions of existing games), and more Triple Triad cards? I suspect we'd see more casual players getting annoyed, too.

That's what it's like for Job content though. It's been years since the release of ARR and the first couple of content cycles. And we're getting the same old shit still, just re-skinned, with bigger numbers, and more complex movement patterns. There has to be more.