Few close friends quit FFXIV, one wants to explain why, hopes SE improves the game

[Maero]

Stormblood in general has not been an overly great expansion, Heavansward i feel was better how it was presented.
The code is very outdated and we all know it would take time. Perhaps they also need test servers.
In the 5 or so years i have been playing (since launch of 2.0) it is the very first time i do not finish off Relics and i have also had long periods of not bothering to log on
Gear gets outdated within a short period of time getting it, and well not much feels rewarding anymore.

Other games reward you just for playing or logging in.... This game they let go of vet rewards, it is not a big deal i just think at times other games/developers care more.
Not to say SE does not care, more like they are tired and need a refresh as a team and maybe just maybe go out and do something not so safe all the time.

[Hamada]

Stormblood in general has not been an overly great expansion, Heavansward i feel was better how it was presented.
The code is very outdated and we all know it would take time. Perhaps they also need test servers.
In the 5 or so years i have been playing (since launch of 2.0) it is the very first time i do not finish off Relics and i have also had long periods of not bothering to log on
Gear gets outdated within a short period of time getting it, and well not much feels rewarding anymore.

Other games reward you just for playing or logging in.... This game they let go of vet rewards, it is not a big deal i just think at times other games/developers care more.
Not to say SE does not care, more like they are tired and need a refresh as a team and maybe just maybe go out and do something not so safe all the time.

Well the thing is, the code was outdated at the start, from rushing out 2.0. the one I wrote this post for felt it could been at least partially addressed or something to improve it for HW's launch, while they kept working on it and have a real fix out for SB's launch. Since it is clear the increasing prices (more retainers to hire to deal with them not giving enough space and the app, basically keep increasing microtransactions) is not going back into the game, they are not willing to fund the game no more. It is just reskinning the same thing without truly improving the game and tired of the "better late then never" mindset when releasing QoL updates, like the "outdated on release" glam dresser, that they recently commented about having "server load" issues when suggesting they will improve it. This tells me they are not willing to put money into the game to upgrade servers and do what needs to get done to allow the game to truly grow. Because of that just seems they are trying to milk the playerbase while putting minimal effort to keep the game running.

For the "rewards for loging in" I need to ask this. (lets say the game improves and they come back) Do you think it is fair they are leaving due to the game performing on an unacceptable level, only to return and have to pay high amount of money for the missed events? Just feels they go out of their way to keep subs.

A business acts like a business?

What madness.

There is a difference of acting like a business, and acting like how EA does business. At least in the USA (where my friend is from, maybe this is a cultural thing) when there is issue with a business (outside gaming anyway) you can work things out with them and not have the business walk over you. There is a degree of customer satisfaction a business tries to strive for, that does not exist for SE, and game companies in general.