XI should be free with an active XIV sub

[Sotaris]

If there was no way to tell how much revenue ffxi was bringing in on its own, there simply would be no reason for it to continue.

This is just a guestimate but around 178k USD per month based on Auction House usage but that doesn't take into account people using alts and have premium services like increased inventory space (i.e extra retainers)

https://www.ffxiah.com/database

[MicahZerrshia]

This is just a guestimate but around 178k USD per month based on Auction House usage but that doesn't take into account people using alts and have premium services like increased inventory space (i.e extra retainers)

https://www.ffxiah.com/database

Doesn't matter what log in numbers are, its more about revenue. ffxi currently has 16 servers that need to be stored, cleaned and maintained. The game is also still pumping out (minimal) content meaning they have to employ developers and in any large company there is a completely separate department that makes the decisions on who gets what money. They even talked about how they were getting a certain sum year after year so they could not plan anything to far ahead since they didn't know if they would have the money to do it. But they got a 3 year reprieve from that a year or so ago thanks to the 20th anniversary. Which clearly shows that XI is not still the money maker everyone wants to believe it still is.

Now if that department looks at xi and xiv and does factor in actual log ins, xiv is still going to be the clear winner in which one pulls in the revenue. So what indication do the people making the financial decisions have as to not only if xi gets any money but also how much? None.

I am sure XI would initially see at least a small bump in log ins, but the game is in a state that only the truly dedicated would stay. Let's face it, its old, clunky, grindy as all get out and you need to do 99% of that grind solo. That does not make for large numbers by any means in today's market. We all have rose colored glasses when it comes to ffxi, but if you resub and really dedicate yourself to playing, its a shell of what it used to be and it just not that great anymore. A common problem many new players still have is having no idea what to do since there are no quest indicators or any direction given. Combine that with the horrible rmt and merc problems the game has and it is even less new player friendly, so retaining that bump would be all but impossible.

Combining the subs would only mean the death of xi from a clear business and financial perspective. The game needs to generate its own revenue to prove that it is still worth being assigned a lump sum to work with each year. It's simple business.

WoW classic is a real bad example to throw around too, which I see a lot in this thread, since it is clearly a juggernaut in and of itself and the increase in revenue from it was clear. FFXI has never had WoW numbers and could plainly never pull WoW classic numbers, no matter how much everyone wants to fool themselves into believing that it could. Reality is just not the same as what you want reality to be.

[Jkap_Goat]

I've been playing FFXI for two years now coming from FFXIV and its really fun, it was a rocky start but after getting and understanding how the battle system works and how much depth the combat and the jobs have, im having a great time playing. Alot of people on Asura server have been so nice and helpful, also i have been getting my feet wet and getting into parties and trying out support jobs ( GEO, but in a Dancer main)

I am now working on my ambuscade weapon, and working on getting better gear for GEO, as well as healing magic equipment so i can heal better as a /RDM if nt party need it, i hope to one day get my Idris weapon for my geomancer, but im excited for my last ambuscade weapon

What I really enjoy about Final Fantasy 11 is that the world is very dangerous and open and jobs are hybrids, every jobs has a postive and a negative about it so planning what job to come fight is needed

[Jkap_Goat]

I think FFXI can stand on its own, the game player base is growing and new people are trying out the game all the time

I sub to ffxiv when there is an event but im playing ffxi because there just alot of long term goals you can work on In ffxiv, there really isn't unless you do relic amd get jobs to 80, gear becomes irrelevant a few levels up after an expansion. Maybe its just me but ffxi fills my need of a harder MMO and it also keeps me busy but im loving it and the community

[Sotaris]

Snip

I wasn't arguing anything. I just wanted to point out the game still pulls in a decent earnings and given the skeleton crew they got running, I'm sure their profits is pretty good. I mean we got FF11 to thank for getting ARR.

I've been playing FFXI for two years now coming from FFXIV and its really fun, it was a rocky start but after getting and understanding how the battle system works and how much depth the combat and the jobs have, im having a great time playing. Alot of people on Asura server have been so nice and helpful, also i have been getting my feet wet and getting into parties and trying out support jobs ( GEO, but in a Dancer main)

I am now working on my ambuscade weapon, and working on getting better gear for GEO, as well as healing magic equipment so i can heal better as a /RDM if nt party need it, i hope to one day get my Idris weapon for my geomancer, but im excited for my last ambuscade weapon

What I really enjoy about Final Fantasy 11 is that the world is very dangerous and open and jobs are hybrids, every jobs has a postive and a negative about it so planning what job to come fight is needed

Glad to see a fellow 11 player. I just returned myself and also working on my ambu gear and weapon. Though I kinda wanna get a relic weapon which was a dream back in the early days of 11 but was almost impossible for the gil investment reason.
Gil isn't or rather wasn't easy to come by like it's in 14.

[DPZ2]

Yes please. Do it like WoW Retail/Classic where they share a subscription.

Problem #1 - they cannot share a subscription, because you do not have a single point which encompasses both games. WoW, of course, has their 'launcher' for every single game Blizzard produced, a commonality missing between FFXI and FFXIV.

Problem #2 - FFXI is not 'classic' FFXIV. It never was.

it's like you are asking for a shared subscription between RIFT and Wildstar (two different games, two different means of paying for the subscription, not much in common under the hood).

[Rae88]

I really want to give FFXI during the next FFXIV downtime I think

I would be happy if they combined the subs but if it's still doing well enough to be able to stand on its own, then that's a good thing also I think. It's a healthy game If they combined the subs that would indicate to me the game wasn't in such a healthy state and the playing experience might not be so good. That's how I like to think of it anyway

[Jirah]

They should pay me after that god awful registration system. Hyped to play it but god what a headache

[Saefinn]

I am subbed to both. They're two separate projects rather by entirely different teams. I feel like it would devalue FFXI, which STILL gets updated and new content. If it's seen as a supplement to FFXIV, then either that's FFXIV money siphoned to keep FFXI going or FFXI sacrificing income. Because realistically speaking, that's what'd happen, nothing is ever 'free'.

Given just how different the two games they are, pairing them is not really going benefit either game.

It's not like it's WoW Classic where it's a different version of the same game.

[Jkap_Goat]

Glad to see a fellow 11 player. I just returned myself and also working on my ambu gear and weapon. Though I kinda wanna get a relic weapon which was a dream back in the early days of 11 but was almost impossible for the gil investment reason.
Gil isn't or rather wasn't easy to come by like it's in 14.

Thats definitely true, i always see myself spending gil for spells or an item i need or materials to craft for clothcraft ( aka weaver)

In ffxiv, my gil is just sitting there because lets be honest, ffxiv gil is useless unless your getting minions, or saving for house, or for glam, ( or unless you need crafting mats, which is really cheap, its better to go buy the mats than make it yourself)

There really isnt much needed for gil, i usually give all my gil away but in FFXI gil actually has meaning.

I actually stopped crafting in xiv this expansion because the changes nd how they dumbed down crafting and everyone and their mother can HQ now, the changes turned me off