How many years do you think FFXIV has left?

[The_Last_Dragoon]

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If FFXI is any indication, I would say that actual support for the game won't drop until they make a new "successful" MMO Final Fantasy game and had it run successfully for a few years, so there's definitely over a decade left. Granted, that's not to say when you yourself will be done with the game since people experience diminishing returns differently, and while the experience doesn't have to dwindle for you, I'm certain that some may grow tired with it's setting or become upset if an expansion comes along and drops a ton of unwanted changes.

[MistakeNot]

FFXI is still up and running - 17 years after it was first released. It is no longer getting any major updates, and its story is concluded, but the game is still there, and still gets updates.

FFXIV has at least a couple more expansions worth of story, and even after the main story is finished I expect the game will hang around for several more years.

The player base will no doubt start to decrease at some point - but even then it will likely take many years before it has decreased so much that the game shuts down.

[CookiesNCreams]

I feel like this game is at the same point as FFXI in 2006, when Treasures of Aht Urghan came out. That was the last expansion I played in FFXI, and a lot of people I know quit around that time.

SE may come out with another expansion in 2021, but by then, the next gen consoles will be out, so I think it will be tough to draw attention for an older game with PS3 era graphics.

I really hope a brand new MMO is in the works.

Wasn’t there an article somewhere about Yoshida working on a new project? Maybe it’s a new mmo? If it is, I hope they add what everyone was hoping for!

[FelixDaCat]

I would think about 10 to 15 years is very possible. As long as they are able to keep the quality of the story telling and keep pushing what's possible. MMO's that manage to last 5 years, tend to be able to last pretty much endlessly.

[Arrhin]

I don't even want to think about it, I started at 2.0 launch and this was my first real MMO. I did struggle a bit to balance the game and rl for awhile as both the game and it's community were so compelling. I don play nearly as much as I did before, I no longer raid and I'm no longer part of a large FC (SO and I have a small one wit our mains and some friend alts that left Zalera to stay on Aether). I still play mostly to enjoy story as it comes out, do some light crafting, RP a bit with friends, and mebbe even run some old raids for fun. Despite all that I cannae think about life without XIV, I mean I'd by no means die...but I'd really miss it :/

[Izanagi_Fiaresu]

Considering it is probably the #3 most successful MMo out there? Won't be for at least another 4-5 xpacs

[MistakeNot]

I mean, I’m glad FFXI is still alive (sort of alive?) but the way the community complains about things and the way Square Enix doesn’t touch or fix most of those complaints, I just see it being 6 years. Like you said..3 expansions.

MMO communities always complain. It is some kind of natural law.
However, it is only a fairly small minority of players that do post on forums and voice their opinions, so don't assume all players agree about all complaints.
5-6 years may well be a realistic guess on how long before FFXIV starts to decline in popularity (and if it retains its popularity that long it will have done amazingly well), but from that until the game shuts down is a long way.

[Orbus]

Really hard to say.
On one hand the game is ranging on a decade old, even if that is taking 1.0 into account.
On the other, as Seraph points out, the game has more players now than ever before, and this is *before* shadowbringers launchers.
I'm sure they're in no hurry to create the next final fantasy mmo when 14 is reaching levels of success they could only dream of at launch.

[Reap00]

Considering it is probably the #3 most successful MMo out there? Won't be for at least another 4-5 xpacs

I do this crazy thing. I think for myself. I don't let some other guy or mag or media tell me what is best. FFXIV is #1 as far as I am concerned. You can't change my mind either! Oh yea one more thing. More sub numbers do not mean anything whatsoever. There are Blizzard zombies that will slurp up any garbage Blizzard pumps out. WoW hasn't been good for 10 years.

[Shurrikhan]

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What's with this whole false dilemma that if one has any criticism about something then they must feel negatively towards it on the whole?

Whatever happened to, 'Hey, people more invested in something are more likely to speak up about it?'