I fear the same thing every expansion, and it's that changes are so drastic that it rips the fun and enjoyment right out of the game for me. An example of a change of similar magnitude is putting the relics inside Eureka. I really enjoyed obtaining my relics in ARR and HW, and I still do these quests with new jobs I level. But since they put these things inside content I have no interest in, there goes the enjoyment of obtaining relics in 4.0.

This was basically my own endgame for expansions as far as PvE goes, and that's gone now in 4.0 for me. I don't even need to try it. When I heard it was basically a rehash of FFXIs old school leveling grind, I immediately wanted no part of it. I can't believe someone actually signed off on that being a good idea to bring into FFXIV. But players kept asking for concepts from XI to be brought into XIV. Echoes of a more dangerous world, and do relics differently was all too rampant around here in 3.0.

I'd be careful about the desire for longer lasting gear, and changing the style of progression. With SEs track record, they will over complicate it and spend the entirety of the expansion making adjustments to it.

It things like this that I fear.