Why do Seasonal Events get stripped down each year and not added too?

[SilverObi]

Every year someone feels like the events get lesser and lesser each year but I don't see it. Been playing since the beginning and by and large the events are fairly similar in scope and rewards, usually alternating mounts or glamours (and furnishings to the frustrations of the houseless). Usually it seems to come down to personal subjective tastes on what counts as a suitable scope.

As for past event items being in the mogstation... I still feel the reasoning from the devs is dubious at best since XIV's older sibling FFXI returns all the previous years' events every single year. Though this comes at the arguable cost that the events are near carbon copies each time, down to dialogue and systems with next to no changing. The devs could have a vendor that sells old event items quite easily but we've already shown we're okay with paying for them.

To be fair a handful of the events here have remained almost nearly the same in terms of what they offer as activities but we do get new story and characters to reframe the context as well which is something XI gets rarely if at all.

The seasonal events would do well to consider adding new features to go along with the seasonal story progression or additions but I don't consider true at all that they are being stripped down more and more each year. Our biggest lapse in quality and amount was last year and we all know why that was. If this becomes a trend going into next year then we can consider picking up the torches and pitchforks.

[Ultimatecalibur]

Every year someone feels like the events get lesser and lesser each year but I don't see it. Been playing since the beginning and by and large the events are fairly similar in scope and rewards, usually alternating mounts or glamours (and furnishings to the frustrations of the houseless). Usually it seems to come down to personal subjective tastes on what counts as a suitable scope.

Some years did have more to do with more engaging seasonal quests with more rewards.

• Moonfire Faire (2013) - Participate in a FATE to get tokens (Wet Bombard Ash) to buy rewards (Swimsuits and Yukatas) from a seasonal vendor. FATEs were in a variety of zones and the vendors were in the starter cities.
• Moonfire Faire (2014) - Questline leading to 3 repeatable minigame quests (2 in lower La Noscea, 1 in east La Noscea). First completion of each minigame rewarded a Yukata, with further minigame quest completions rewarding fireworks. Completing all 3 minigames and another quest rewarded an emote. Seasonal vendor solid housing items and the previous year's rewards for gil.
• Moonfire Faire (2015) - Questline leads to Costa del Sol and rewarded a swimsuit and top. Seasonal FATEs (there were multiple), a culinarian quest and a fishing quest reward "Faire Voucher XV" which could be traded for an alternate version of the quest reward swimsuit, some of the previous years swimsuits/yukatas, fireworks and a housing item
• Moonfire Faire (2016) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol with 3 repeatable quests which rewarded "Faire Voucher XVI" and the Legacy Warrior chest for completion of all 3 repeatables and a final quest. Vouchers could be traded for Legacy warrior glamour gear, a housing item, music roll and fireworks.
• Moonfire Faire (2017) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol and rewards "Faire Joi" glamour set (a modified version of the Shisui sets). Could get "Faire Voucher XVII" by completing repeatable quests (1 swimming, 1 fishing and 1 cooking) and FATEs. Vouchers could be traded for a poster, a table top food, a music roll and fireworks. The "Moonfire Faire Island" was added this year.
• Moonfire Faire (2018) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol and rewarded the Splash emote and Endless Summer Coffer (with the Endless Summer set). Questline involved partially completing a jumping puzzle which could be repeated for fireworks.
• Moonfire Faire (2019) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol. Pretty much a repeat of 2018 with Vouchers as reward with addition of the old repeatable fishing and gathering quests. Vouchers could be traded for masks, happi, housing items and fireworks
• Moonfire Faire (2020) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol and rewarded an emote. A FATE is the source of Vouchers which could be used to buy the Summer's Flame set, a housing item and fireworks.
• Moonfire Faire (2021) - Questline returned to Costa del Sol and rewarded a mount. Get vouchers by doing FATE which could be used to buy a housing item, 2 table top foods and fireworks.

Last 3 years could arguably be considered to have been phoned in as even 2019 was basically a repeat of the very popular 2018 and 2020/2021 might be considered a backslide all the way to 2013 with the single FATEs being their only activity. The jumping puzzle likely didn't return in 2020/2021 due to introduction of flying to ARR areas.

[SilverObi]

good list

Sorry I was indeed incorrect on which events in particular shuffled around reward types, Moonfire has seemed to make it a tradition of rewarding outfits and this marks the first year we're getting a mount instead. In that case I can understand some people's displeasure, but not this claim that our events are on a tangible slide in quality.

But as you yourself said, it's arguable if the last 3 years could be considered phoned in just due to them being similar in function and style. It feels like there is a sort-of pattern where certain events receive a bigger "budget" than others in a given year and they tend to trade off. I suppose the exception would be Heavensturn which is definitely in a holding pattern with the mochi stuff.

Having looked at the other seasonal events as well, many of them seem to be on a very similar "build" with some variation. As for being more engaging, I suppose that's up to the individual as often times I hear the opinion split down the middle between people enjoying the mini storylines we get and those who dislike "filler" or "fluff" content and would have them go away altogether.

Also wow was the starlight bear really almost 4 years ago?