Future direction of FFXIV

[Lauront]

The only objective metrics we actually have at the moment about the games current population indicates that EW has had worse retention than previous expansions, and the active player-count is currently lower than it was in the content-drought leading up to EWs launch. Lucky Bancho hasn't released a census recently, and SE's numbers aren't accurate because they count every account ever made including RMT bots.

Pretty keen to see where the LB figures are sitting - they should be out soon I think. Player count at EW release is one thing - 3-6 months down the line is another and will be interesting to see in terms of the LB figures. I'm guessing you're referring to the steam figures, which do bear out what you're saying.

[IdowhatIwant]

Pretty keen to see where the LB figures are sitting - they should be out soon I think. Player count at EW release is one thing - 3-6 months down the line is another and will be interesting to see in terms of the LB figures. I'm guessing you're referring to the steam figures, which do bear out what you're saying.

Just from my personal experience. My FC went from about 30 consistent players to about 5 within the first month of EW. Now I am surprised to see a another player online.

[Ransu]

Just from my personal experience. My FC went from about 30 consistent players to about 5 within the first month of EW. Now I am surprised to see a another player online.

I mean, that's kinda normal for every MMO. People come in, play the new content and those uninterested in end game stuff unsub and wait for another patch.

[LittleImp]

Pretty keen to see where the LB figures are sitting - they should be out soon I think. Player count at EW release is one thing - 3-6 months down the line is another and will be interesting to see in terms of the LB figures. I'm guessing you're referring to the steam figures, which do bear out what you're saying.

Yup, steam figures are pretty much all we have at the moment. They're undoubtedly imperfect, but even Lucky Bancho references them frequently when talking about broad trends in absence of his own data.

I have no doubt retention is lower in EW due to the simple fact that the bandwagon audience attracted by the streamer boom was dominated by players with a more content-fixated outlook. They're more vulnerable to MSQ burnout and endgame boredom than the typical demographic this game has appealed to over the years.

The MSQ barrier is becoming very cumbersome for new players, particularly those for whom the story is a secondary concern. I'm hoping that in 7.0 a new optional entry-point is created, allowing new players to choose to start the new story arc immediately.

[aveyond-dreams]

The MSQ barrier is becoming very cumbersome for new players, particularly those for whom the story is a secondary concern. I'm hoping that in 7.0 a new optional entry-point is created, allowing new players to choose to start the new story arc immediately.

If I remember correctly a recent interview implied that 6.1 was created in mind as another starting point, though the instructions for the extra work to actually *make it* a starting point have not been handed down by Yoship yet.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

Do you guys feel like the current dev team is incapable to lead this game 6.1 and beyond because of the good amount of complaints between gameplay, story, and general content releases. Should we shuffle devs around or replace Yoshi-P? Are people overall happy with the state of this game?

Wanna know people's thoughts.

Aside from the current state of healer, the treatment they’ve received, and questionable job adjustments (Which is probably the only thing I’ll remain jaded against), honestly? I’m pretty happy. Four months of update schedule is a bit too hasty to my liking but it’s not something that’s impossible to adjust.

[TohtoriJamba]

Yup, steam figures are pretty much all we have at the moment. They're undoubtedly imperfect, but even Lucky Bancho references them frequently when talking about broad trends in absence of his own data.

I have no doubt retention is lower in EW due to the simple fact that the bandwagon audience attracted by the streamer boom was dominated by players with a more content-fixated outlook. They're more vulnerable to MSQ burnout and endgame boredom than the typical demographic this game has appealed to over the years.

The MSQ barrier is becoming very cumbersome for new players, particularly those for whom the story is a secondary concern. I'm hoping that in 7.0 a new optional entry-point is created, allowing new players to choose to start the new story arc immediately.

I'll keep introduction to brief so I can get to the point; Been playing since 1.0, on and off and usually buy subcription for each expansion launch in 1-2 months, drop another 1-2 months at later part of the expansion(s) lifetime. I just recently came back for EW so I can play with my friends and help them level up.

Yesterday we spent good time doing nothing but duty roulettes, for about 5 hours straight or so. We managed to complete all duties, minus expert roulette, twice in a same day (thanks to the reset time). I was hoping to get second chance points by helping first timers while doing it so I can complete Khloes book faster by resetting easier trials for this week. During all those roulettes, there was only 1 leveling dungeon where we had only 1 first timer. The rest? no bonus.

I can't recall there ever being period where I would meet only "long time" players in duty roulette like that in a row. Not sure if anyone else has noticed the same, or did I just get really unlucky? Just food for thought about player retention, new players vs old timers.

Ps. First time poster, but it was something that I had to get out of my chest. Good night all o/

[Lauront]

If I remember correctly a recent interview implied that 6.1 was created in mind as another starting point, though the instructions for the extra work to actually *make it* a starting point have not been handed down by Yoship yet.

That's the gist of it from what I remember.

Yup, steam figures are pretty much all we have at the moment. They're undoubtedly imperfect, but even Lucky Bancho references them frequently when talking about broad trends in absence of his own data.

I have no doubt retention is lower in EW due to the simple fact that the bandwagon audience attracted by the streamer boom was dominated by players with a more content-fixated outlook. They're more vulnerable to MSQ burnout and endgame boredom than the typical demographic this game has appealed to over the years.

The MSQ barrier is becoming very cumbersome for new players, particularly those for whom the story is a secondary concern. I'm hoping that in 7.0 a new optional entry-point is created, allowing new players to choose to start the new story arc immediately.

I had a suspicion it might happen, which is why I was keen to see how EW would retain these players, because as you say, they're hungrier for content. It'll be good to get the Lucky Bancho figures to see if they exhibit a similar trend - no figures we have are truly perfect but in the absence of SE releasing any such data, it's pretty much all we have. There's some other sites performing estimates, which do show a similar pattern to the Steam figures, but I'm unfamiliar with the methodology they use.

[IdowhatIwant]

I had a suspicion it might happen, which is why I was keen to see how EW would retain these players, because as you say, they're hungrier for content. It'll be good to get the Lucky Bancho figures to see if they exhibit a similar trend - no figures we have are truly perfect but in the absence of SE releasing any such data, it's pretty much all we have. There's some other sites performing estimates, which do show a similar pattern to the Steam figures, but I'm unfamiliar with the methodology they use.

I would assume the pattern for over all players follows about the same as the steam figures graph.

[IdowhatIwant]

I generally think, if in 7.0 we get 2 more classes. This game is just going to be a whole mess of homogenized classes. If the games classes are ever to be unique they would have to rework most of them.