What would you like to see (differently) in the next Final Fantasy MMO?

[He-Saiyan]

FFXVII, maybe.......

Seems like SE likes to release their mmos when the others are not quite dated yet. XIV was kind of released in the prime of XI. Abyssea was just coming out. SoA was not a thing neither. I also heard SE was working on another mmo; a rumor I suppose.

Being a PS3 title may have held FFXIV back as XI was held back by being a PS2 title. Also, next gen consoles are around the corner. I would say another SE mmo may happen soon-ish. I feel like the mishaps of releasing mmos on for dated consoles are learned experiences by the team; and may want to start on newer machines. PS3 was like 4 years old when FFXIV was released on it.

I also feel a Marvel MMO imo may be on the table, & the Avengers Project may be a test drive. That IP could produce some serious subs if done by a credible company.

[Kisshu]

Keep the strong story focus, but also give us smaller stories not tied directly to the main story(something similar to FFXI's add-on stories)
Keep the option for all classes/jobs on one character. Draw classes/jobs from past FF titles but add some new onces.

Utilize next-gen, have PS5/Series-X as the base needed to play the game.

One huge open world to explore. Running through a canyon you might find an open-dungeon entrace similar to Orbonne Monastery.
Seamless ground to swimming to diving.
Only quick-travel between major cities via boat/airship, then have to move out running or on mount.

Active use of vehicles and mounts.
Mounted combat, each mount giving different benefits (drakes are a bit slower but are tough and spit fire, chocobos are quick and agile, heavier mounts have charge or stomp attacks).
Mount capture and breeding system for rare mounts.
Crafters can build vehicles like wagons(move large amount of goods) and boats(cross ocean to new islands, ocean fishing)

Action combat, a ninja would feel like in Sekiro(style, not difficulty), able to jump to high places.
Different styles for each job, a ninja could be burst-focused(assissin style) or sustained-dps(ninjutsu magic style).

Make gear more interesting than pure stats. Let gear have job specific bonuses or enhance traits(assassinate cooldown reduction, ninjutsu potency), or more general enhancements for multiple classes/roles like fast cast or cure potency.
To avoid having one piece of gear be too good from mid to end game(like in FFXI), higher level gear will give better stat bonuses. Lower gear can be spirit bonded and turned into gems giving the enhancement(at a lesser bonus) which can then be socketed into the higher level gear.
Life-skills not tied directly into combat, some classes having sneak/invisibility abilities, climb etc.

Activities for guilds/clans/FCs of all sizes. Forced pop NMs(leve-like system). Load up a boat with people, travel to an ocean current to enter an Ocean Exploration instance, travel from island to island to explore and find treasure to store in the ships hold.

Don't be afraid to have players work to unlock skills/abilities or gear, leveling a class/job gives you the base skills and abilities, but then there are tiers above that(like FFXI's weapon skill unlocks, ancient magic for mages). Similar to ARR relic quests pre-Atma grind.

Edit: Fate-like events having an impact on the world: Beastmen attack a settlement and kidnap people, now you lose access to some services there untill rescued. Not killing enough predators in an area will scare away prey(can't get wool in the area because of missing sheeps), an event will spawn to cull the predator population.

A conquest-like system from FFXI. Each nation and the beastmen can hold territory. Beastmen will make the area more dangerous(more and stronger beastmen in the area), nations holding an area will get access to certain resources from that area in their city(buy crafting items easily instead of having to gather them.)

[Canada_bangs]

I wouldn't mind Tera's combat system, a few more options for our character's looks. Like mixing hair and the like, a few more body options and what have you. Keep dungeons tied to the MSQ so you don't get people just skipping the plot and dungeon grinding to endgame like a cheap mmo. And the option to port my character over to the new mmo. Also KEEP THE ARTSTYLE. It's one of the things I love about this game is it's anime like artstyle. And a better training dummy. - and giving everyone a house PLEASE-

[Shurrikhan]

Seamless ground to swimming to diving.
Only quick-travel between major cities via boat/airship, then have to move out running or on mount.

Active use of vehicles and mounts.
Mounted combat, each mount giving different benefits (drakes are a bit slower but are tough and spit fire, chocobos are quick and agile, heavier mounts have charge or stomp attacks).
Mount capture and breeding system for rare mounts.
Crafters can build vehicles like wagons(move large amount of goods) and boats(cross ocean to new islands, ocean fishing)

Make gear more interesting than pure stats. Let gear have job specific bonuses or enhance traits(assassinate cooldown reduction, ninjutsu potency), or more general enhancements for multiple classes/roles like fast cast or cure potency.
To avoid having one piece of gear be too good from mid to end game(like in FFXI), higher level gear will give better stat bonuses. Lower gear can be spirit bonded and turned into gems giving the enhancement(at a lesser bonus) which can then be socketed into the higher level gear.
Life-skills not tied directly into combat, some classes having sneak/invisibility abilities, climb etc.

Activities for guilds/clans/FCs of all sizes. Forced pop NMs(leve-like system). Load up a boat with people, travel to an ocean current to enter an Ocean Exploration instance, travel from island to island to explore and find treasure to store in the ships hold.

Don't be afraid to have players work to unlock skills/abilities or gear, leveling a class/job gives you the base skills and abilities, but then there are tiers above that(like FFXI's weapon skill unlocks, ancient magic for mages). Similar to ARR relic quests pre-Atma grind.

Damn, these are great. I may have to revise my own list.

[Clover_Blake]

Personally, I'd love an open world setting, action combat system, improved character creation, and nice physics for clothing and hair. Other than that, I hope it'll be as similar to FFXIV as possible (especially when it comes to emotes and gpose).

[linay]

Make gear more interesting than pure stats.

Ugh, I hope they never do this. The only way I would be okay for gear to not be pure stats would be if they use FFIX's method of learning abilities/traits/actions. Other than that, no thanks, just give me pure (nonrandom and fixed) stats all the way that fits the gearing system from expansion to expansion.

[ChazNatlo]

Edit: Fate-like events having an impact on the world: Beastmen attack a settlement and kidnap people, now you lose access to some services there untill rescued. Not killing enough predators in an area will scare away prey(can't get wool in the area because of missing sheeps), an event will spawn to cull the predator population.)

God, the Redbelly Hive is the best FATE in the game. Also The Bridge chain in Western Thanalan.

All your other suggestions are also gold. Though I'd probably put limits on the conquest system, like conquest "zones" insofar as you can have those in an open world. That way new players can play in a low population server without having overly strong enemies hurting the intro experience.

[Atheena]

What I want to see Different
-More FF classes/jobs with distinct abilities like Geomancer, Thief, Ranger, A true Redmage, Beastmaster, Heaven and Hell Knight, Alchemist as a Battle Class, Necromancer, Time Mage, Mime ( A freaking Mimic), puppet Master, Gambler and Sub Knight Classes (Hokuten, Holy, Temple, Divine, and Judge/Judgemaster).
-More Gil sinks! Housing for everyone and pay taxes based on areas (homes can be foreclosed on if no taxes paid), GunShips from FF12 as Guild Housing/Flying Fortresses, and countless other stuff.
-Make crafting useful again!
-Introduce a personal story!
-Paid Salaries to PC's buy doing jobs for you country/city/clan.
-Real PVP.

[Eldevern]

...

Gils sinks? What for? People who want a lot of gils will even more run after them and other will face a problem because of the gap (especially new players).

If you imagine some people will become poor, you make yourself illusions, they are rich because they aim and act for that.

In most games, more there are gils sink, more rich people are rich and wider is the gap (because HL crafts prices increase even more). Players who can spend a lot of time in the game will have an even greater advantage.

[Allegor]

It's probably been said before, but more flexibility in playable races, and enough resources/engine to accommodate them. Want a race with hooves instead of feet? sure, what about a winged race? you got it, tails? horns? a muzzle? you get the idea. As it is right now Lalafell are really the only race that doesn't have a standard human body base, and that's because they're essentially oversized babies. Everyone else is a standard human with X modifications - even Hrothgar who are practically a beast race have human proportions, mostly due to limitations.

(Yes, I am still lowkey salty Hroths don't have digitigrade feet >.>)