Male Viera as a playable character! show your support

[Lauront]

That sounds terrible. So, the next MMO is gonna be some casual trash (literally) that you can hop in and hop out, because apparently players nowadays don't have the attention span to play something like FFXIV or WoW? This is laughable, and sad, and scary at the same time.

Actually, I think Yoshida is flat out WRONG here. I think the reason there is player drop off is because there hasn't been a compelling game in this format for a very long time. I do NOT think players are to blame here. I find it extremely annoying that developers continue to blame the players for their own mistakes when it comes to their games. Look at WoW classic, and look at the massive popularity it is creating. I can't believe the genre I love is going to be ruined, because publishers want to cash in on trash like fortnite or garbage MOBAs.

Agreed, it's really not promising stuff, but at the same time it could mean they're not just going to abandon this game when the new MMO comes round, especially if it's still making decent money.

If those info are true, it's a close window to invest. It would make more sense if applied in the new game. That's a "IF", I work with the two with hopes of getting them still here. :P

It depends - demand for this type of MMO isn't going to vanish. As long as it's generating enough revenue to keep being profitable - something which an investment like a graphics upgrade could deliver, if timed and implemented properly - I reckon they could squeeze at least another 2 expansions out of it at current or higher sub levels. The issue is more with mentality, in that some devs let their games stagnate because they claim the demand isn't there, when in reality it's more that they've grown complacent and after several years their players have grown a little bored of the same old, same old.

[SturmChurro]

Agreed, it's really not promising stuff, but at the same time it could mean they're not just going to abandon this game when the new MMO comes round, especially if it's still making decent money.

No, this game won't be abandoned, but I have the strong feeling once it's "perfected" it will be put on maintenance mode. Yes, the servers will be up, but the game will be effectively dead to be replaced by an objectively inferior product aimed at drooling "gamers".

[Lauront]

Yeah I'll just have to disagree with Yoshida on that, while I agree some early streamlining on XIV could be used. I don't think games like fortnite and battle royale is a good example for a story driven MMO to follow, if they'd even make it story driven. I as a consumer just don't find them entertaining especially with a lot of their core sources of revenue(loot boxes) being on the verge of being banned in the USA.

But yes it seems they are aware that they can still perfect the formula, I'm really hoping this leads into them addressing technical and graphical issues and not just pruning abilities/streamlining jobs, because for me there's only so much that can be streamlined when it comes to job aspects before you go past the point of good balance.

Nevertheless I'm looking forward to seeing how this expansion pans out in terms of fixing graphical and technical issues.

Ditto and agreed on all the above. Even some of the job updates this time had me pretty deflated, if I'm honest, though luckily there's still enough to keep me going on other jobs.

No, this game won't be abandoned, but I have the strong feeling once it's "perfected" it will be put on maintenance mode. Yes, the servers will be up, but the game will be effectively dead to be replaced by an objectively inferior product aimed at drooling "gamers".

Yeah, and that's where I draw the line and say goodbye to the game.

[Brightmore]

Agreed, it's really not promising stuff, but at the same time it could mean they're not just going to abandon this game when the new MMO comes round, especially if it's still making decent money.



It depends - demand for this type of MMO isn't going to vanish. As long as it's generating enough revenue to keep being profitable - something which an investment like a graphics upgrade could deliver, if timed and implemented properly - I reckon they could squeeze at least another 2 expansions out of it at current or higher sub levels. The issue is more with mentality, in that some devs let their games stagnate because they claim the demand isn't there, when in reality it's more that they've grown complacent and after several years their players have grown a little bored of the same old, same old.

Demand there will be, as our generation that is daily grind still are here.
What makes me worry is how the games lately are built not to last: nice graphics, stores: loot boxes, vanity itens. Updates on said stores very often, while content doesn't follow this formula. They get a high return from profits, part of the share to a new Project. Repeat.

I'm not in the industry, so I have thin vision. But taking the behavior here in FF that there is high new content (looking at other companies), even if is sub based some still freaks out with the store that has not so many updates on vanity itens and no lootboxes as other games. It makes me think that it is a game expensive to keep - and even as you said that it keeps profitable, there is also the question of keeping competitive.

[Ayer2015]

I wish people would stop saying stuff like this. Hrothgar have proven to be quite popular. Go look at any of the 'Show Your <Insert Race Here>' threads and you'll see that most of the posts are of female characters. Yet that doesn't mean that male characters aren't popular - because they are. There's simply an unfortunate trend for female characters to be posted and praised more than male characters.

Are they though? ... because I mostly see cat girls in game

[Zeonx]

Actually, I think Yoshida is flat out WRONG here.

I don't a while back all I was seeing is people griping that stuff wasn't being handed to them.
unlike players who want to earn it people want easy routes and say why is relics hidden behind this or why do I have to fight monsters so I can get that mount, I remember people coming in here and going against them saying stop asking for hand outs.

I can handle stuff like FFXI and hard stuff but some people just want it easy and don't want to try while others work hard others say nerf nerf.

I remember this cause my cousin was temp banned for telling some guy to work for it instead of asking SE to hand out stuff for free accept the way its made.

I am not kidding either lol

[Lauront]

Are they though? ... because I mostly see cat girls in game

Varies between anywhere from 35-40% of active characters at any given time - bear in mind cat and lizard girls are the most popular picks, hence it's not surprising, but for virtually every other race/gender combo the males are more or less at parity or exceed them - and cat and lizard men also do pretty well (I think first and third respectively amongst male picks.)

I'd say there's nothing too deterministic about this and it's all down to how well designed and fluid the models are. WoW, for example, has a 60/40 male/female split.

Still, I'd consider upwards of 30% to be a respectable number.

Demand there will be, as our generation that is daily grind still are here.
What makes me worry is how the games lately are built not to last: nice graphics, stores: loot boxes, vanity itens. Updates on said stores very often, while content doesn't follow this formula. They get a high return from profits, part of the share to a new Project. Repeat.

I'm not in the industry, so I have thin vision. But taking the behavior here in FF that there is high new content (looking at other companies), even if is sub based some still freaks out with the store that has not so many updates on vanity itens and no lootboxes as other games. It makes me think that it is a game expensive to keep - and even as you said that it keeps profitable, there is also the question of keeping competitive.

Certainly, the question of opportunity cost is a central factor, too. At the same time the game is a pretty steady source of revenue and may continue to be so given reinvestment - can the same be said of the other options? Putting aside issues like the costs of shifting teams across to games where entirely different skill and mindsets are required, you're then dealing with a much flightier customer base.

[Brightmore]

I don't a while back all I was seeing is people griping that stuff wasn't being handed to them.
unlike players who want to earn it people want easy routes and say why is relics hidden behind this or why do I have to fight monsters so I can get that mount, I remember people coming in here and going against them saying stop asking for hand outs.

I can handle stuff like FFXI and hard stuff but some people just want it easy and don't want to try while others work hard others say nerf nerf.

Yeah, and like the interview above, the base gamers behavior are flash. If the reward is not fast obtained, it moves to the next.
We are living with consumers that lost the conception of work to get.
I do get it that we have to give options to reach a goal, some people are deprived of mobilies, time and so on.

[SturmChurro]

Yeah, and like the interview above, the base gamers behavior are flash. If the reward is not fast obtained, it moves to the next.
We are living with consumers that lost the conception of work to get.
I do get it that we have to give options to reach a goal, some people are deprived of mobilies, time and so on.

Publishers, and developers are intent on making everything streamlined and casual. The new pseudo mmorpg format is "online games as a service" which has seen failure, after failure, after failure. The players who want handouts aren't players who are here to stay. You give them what they want, they will be gone just as fast as it took to give them their handout. I can guarantee you if they make this MMO that Yoshida is envisioning it will be a complete and utter flop - then the players will be blamed.

Maybe the Chinese market will like their mobile game!

[Theodric]

It's a worrying statement. I respect Yoshi-P, though his lack of faith in the genre is a rare miss in my eyes. I won't touch any MMO that lacks a decent story. There's always going to be a niche for story driven games and story driven MMO's. Square Enix need to stop straying from what they're good at and focus on what they do best.

If this game is losing money because of dubious projects being funded with the profits then that is very unfortunate.