MSQ Needs Further Condensing

[Garnix]

SE themselves decided that the MSQ was a barrier-to-entry for new customers, and as a consequence shortened it.

That's probably not indicative of an extremely small percentage of players.

It cost them probably hundreds of thousands of dollars to modify the MSQ to its current state.

That is an investment they made, in an attempt to raise their profit margins.

That margin wouldn't move much if it were only an "extremely small percentage" of players.

But again, this was because basically everybody was saying that ARR was tedious. It was not even a divisive topic. They had the numbers showing at what point people stopped playing (2.1, or around Aurum Vale were two examples provided by the dev team).
Again, give the option for the new players to skip ARR for free, and give them a 'the story so far' cutscene, and all good. This way they can access level 50 content, and pretty much see what the game has to offer.
ARR is still the main issue IMO.

All the expansions have filler but I think it is ok to first make ARR free to skip before thinking about it.

[Vahlnir]

But again, this was because basically everybody was saying that ARR was tedious. It was not even a divisive topic. They had the numbers showing at what point people stopped playing (2.1, or around Aurum Vale were two examples provided by the dev team).
Again, give the option for the new players to skip ARR for free, and give them a 'the story so far' cutscene, and all good. This way they can access level 50 content, and pretty much see what the game has to offer.
ARR is still the main issue IMO.

All the expansions have filler but I think it is ok to first make ARR free to skip before thinking about it.

Aside from one or 2 events, 2.1 onward of ARR was forgettable at best, at least in my opinion. They could make Leviathan and Ramuh storylines optional, much like the Binding Coil of Bahamut, and maybe keep Crystalis and Shiva onward. Seriously, Levi and Ramuh didn't add much. lol The story would still be there for those who pursue it, but it would cut down on a little more time that new players spend in ARR.