Gender locked race?

[Shippuu]

Increasing market share in another region is one thing. Doing it at the expense of their existing market shares in three other regions is counter-productive in the extreme. Also, as a counter-point to this the next Korean MMO making its way west this year, Astellia Online, has gender locks in the Korean build but the developers are busy removing them for the version intended for American and European markets.

There's that inflated notion that adding one pair of genderlocked races will somehow majorly damage the game in the west. You people are delusional at this point, I swear.

[Karl0217]

There's that inflated notion that adding one pair of genderlocked races will somehow majorly damage the game in the west. You people are delusional at this point, I swear.

Gender-locked races definitely damaged the 1.0 version of the game enough that one of the first things Yoshida did after taking over the project was remove them. Or have you forgotten that?

[Shippuu]

Gender-locked races definitely damaged the 1.0 version of the game enough that one of the first things Yoshida did after taking over the project was remove them. Or have you forgotten that?

You'd be absolutely hard pressed to back that claim up with any actual hard evidence. The genderlocks in 1.0 were FAR from anywhere near the myriad of issues that plagued that game.

[redcurrant18]

You'd be absolutely hard pressed to back that claim up with any actual hard evidence. The genderlocks in 1.0 were FAR from anywhere near the myriad of issues that plagued that game.

That doesn't erase the fact that it was one of the many highlights and defining features that made ARR a better game with more customization options, with one of its allures being no more gender locked races.

[Karl0217]

You'd be absolutely hard pressed to back that claim up with any actual hard evidence. The genderlocks in 1.0 were FAR from anywhere near the myriad of issues that plagued that game.

Never said they were the only issue. As for hard evidence, the fact they devoted money, time and manpower to undoing the gender-locks on the Highlander Hyur, Miqo'te and Roedraygn for the 2.0 build speaks for itself. As you just said, myriad issues plagued the 1.0 build; yet removing the gender-locks on the races was one of the things they gave priority to. Obviously the development team viewed it of critical importance; I wonder why.

[Shippuu]

Never said they were the only issue. As for hard evidence, the fact they devoted money, time and manpower to undoing the gender-locks on the Highlander Hyur, Miqo'te and Roedraygn for the 2.0 build speaks for itself. As you just said, myriad issues plagued the 1.0 build; yet removing the gender-locks on the races was one of the things they gave priority to. Obviously the development team viewed it of critical importance; I wonder why.

You need to prove the gender locks had a meaningful damaging effect on 1.0. Them undoing the gender locks isn't indicative of them necessarily feeling like they were damaging to the game, but were likely just one of many avenues they could use to earn bonus points with their existing and future playerbase for the relaunch. Just because they did something to try and regain favor after their game failed so bad it damaged the entire brand doesn't mean they will always do such. Especially considering Yoshida himself said he might do a future gender locked race as a counterpart to Viera after they had undone the 1.0 gender locks.

[Karl0217]

You need to prove the gender locks had a meaningful damaging effect on 1.0. Them undoing the gender locks isn't indicative of them necessarily feeling like they were damaging to the game, but were likely just one of many avenues they could use to earn bonus points with their existing and future playerbase for the relaunch. Just because they did something to try and regain favor after their game failed so bad it damaged the entire brand doesn't mean they will always do such. Especially considering Yoshida himself said he might do a future gender locked race as a counterpart to Viera after they had undone the 1.0 gender locks.

If you want to play that game how about you first prove that a gender-locked race will be a major selling feature for the Korean and Chinese markets. It is not like that market is lacking in games with that feature. In fact, where is your hard statistical data that Square Enix re-introducing gender locked races (after removing them previously) won't have a negative impact on their NA/JP/EU markets? I see a lot of personal opinion in your posts but little in the way of hard data.

[Shippuu]

If you want to play that game how about you first prove that a gender-locked race will be a major selling feature for the Korean and Chinese markets. It is not like that market is lacking in games with that feature. In fact, where is your hard statistical data that Square Enix re-introducing gender locked races (after removing them previously) won't have a negative impact on their NA/JP/EU markets? I see a lot of personal opinion in your posts but little in the way of hard data.

I don't have to prove anything because unlike you making direct statements that they did X because of Y in the past I was only proposing a theory as to potential reasoning for something they may or may not have done. I'm not claiming they absolutely did something because of other markets, but it could absolutely be a factor in the decision.

And no player race is a major selling point for this game's expansions. Stormblood did better than ever without adding a new player race. The good thing is the burden of proof is on you still to first prove that the game would be damaged if they added genderlocked races. It certainly didn't hurt FFXI's success, to the point they didn't change it when they first made FFXIV. It wasn't until that game failed catastrophically did they then use it as an opportunity to earn brownie points fixing it, to which then stating publicly they were open to a future genderlocked race with Viera specifically.

Besides, Heavensward didn't get damaged when they opted for Au Ra over viera. Stormblood didn't get damaged when they opted for Nothing over viera. Now Shadowbringers is coming, and it's bringing the viera that the vast majority of players aware of what a viera is think of when they think of viera. So yeah, its a pretty safe assumption nothing is going to happen except a bunch of whining.