Stop asking for a playtime cap; you don't know what you're doing

[ForteNightshade]

Sure, if everyone logs on during peak time. However, as some of the more strenuous objections "but mah non-peak hours" , clearly there are people who are either logging in early and just staying logged in - so they don't want to see a queue - OR they log in and play during non-peak hours, in which case server capacity really doesn't apply. However if we cap play time, sure it would, it should improve the situation in the sense that the more hours spent in non-peak time, the less hours someone could spend in peak hours.

Which they undoubtedly will. Someone who can log in early and do stuff until their friends get through the queue later in the day now have every incentive to not log in early but instead jump in during peak hours to sync up with their friends who they wouldn't be able to play with otherwise. For example, my BFF gets off work at 7pm my time. I have zero reason to log in earlier than say 4pm (assuming an 8 hour playtime restriction) since any earlier means we won't be playing together—especially after how long it'll take her to get through the queue at that time. A queue which is now being made even worse.

You asked for a solution. Unfortunately, the only reasonable option is for SE to suspend our subscription so at least people aren't paying for an inadequate service. Will they do that? It remains to be seen...

We need to accept a solution that benefits everyone and not a small group of people.

Except it doesn't benefit just a small group. Most players are able to play by the very rationale we have server congestion to between with. Square Enix stands to gain absolutely nothing by essentially flipping 5,000 players already in-game with those waiting in queues. They do, however, risk pissing off even more players who are now all funneling into the same peak hour queue and whose scheduled commitments are completely infeasible; like having a static for raiding. Furthermore, such a restriction isn't easily implemented. Instead of working on the servers themselves or even future content, developers and resources are being pulled away to develop a band-aid "solution" that doesn't actually fix anything and will be rendered an entirely worthless endeavor within a few weeks/month.