Did materia reduce total gil in the economy?

[Holyomen]

So was the materia system a successful gil sink or did it just transfer the wealth?
And perhaps the greater question, does gil need to be removed for prices to be "normalized"?

Feel free to post your theories, but a dev response would be nice on the former question.

[NoctisUmbra]

It never was a gil sink. Just more things for players to throw gil at each other for.

[Brigandier]

It never was a gil sink. Just more things for players to throw gil at each other for.

Forbidden meld breaks causing 2+ materia, catalysts, and the piece of gear to disappear from existence is not a gil sink? Please, enlighten me.

[Felis]

Wasn't planned as gil sink.
It is a successful gear sink

[NoctisUmbra]

Forbidden meld breaks causing 2+ materia, catalysts, and the piece of gear to disappear from existence is not causing gil to become more valuable? Please, enlighten me.

The items disappear. Where did the gil ever go? Either you made those materia or you bought them from another player. Whether or not you blow shit up, your gil went to another player and did not leave the game.

It was meant to stimulate the economy by taking gear out of the game constantly, keeping demand high for making more and more gear. In that sense it is very successful.

[Elexia]

Gil sinks are NPC stuff, for example airship costs, repair costs (though minimal) and MW transaction fee and taxes. Materia isn't a gil sink unless you're actively buying gear purely for conversion purposes, but even then unless its from NPC, it'll just be changing hands.

[MariyaShidou]

The items disappear. Where did the gil ever go? Either you made those materia or you bought them from another player. Whether or not you blow shit up, your gil went to another player and did not leave the game.

It was meant to stimulate the economy by taking gear out of the game constantly, keeping demand high for making more and more gear. In that sense it is very successful.

It stopped more gil coming in to the economy. You think leve was such an influx of gil? Nope. Before the price change, GSM grinding on Electrum can generate millions of gil daily per person from NPC-ing the Electrum Ring.

[MeowyWowie]

Like others have said already, the gil itself does not disappear. Only the gear/catalysts/materia is lost. The gil just gets circulated between players.

The materia system was never intended to be a gil sink. If anything, it just helps spread gil out more evenly between the population.

[Deli]

well, only if you count as 2% or 5% ward fee in. otherwise, it's not really a new gil sink.

[Avraym]

I'd say it was a Gil Sink for people too lazy to Spiritbond their gear or have any crafts leveled that didn't ask their LS for help.

Gear cost gil.
Materia cost gil.
Melding services may cost gil.
Failure to meld, rince and repeat.

So to some extent yes, it is a gil sink , but with the prices of materia/catalysts going down significantly, its not as costly as it once was.