After the next expansion they should consider expanding the F2p experience

[Sesera]

The free trail player might rush to buy the game to continue the story without doing side content and then hit a wall with CT because he haven't done it.

You know that you can't progress the ARR story without doing the CT raid right?

[Ardeth]

Don't fall for that mentality. That's the mindset on why WoW, and its population, are so slow to accept change.

Expanding it to Stormblood wouldn't hurt at all.

You are already giving the perspective player so much for free. Trust me it's more than enough. If by the end of Heavensward and getting to level 60 you don't want to buy the game then I don't know what to tell you. That's the point of the free trial. You try it for free and if you like it you buy it. They gave away one of if not the best expansions this game has ever had for free. I'm sorry, but this just stinks of greed on your part. You want more without even thinking what was given for free.

[TheGrimace]

Giving access to Stormblood would be brilliant from a story-rich gamer's standpoint. Most people gush about how good Shadowbringers is, and the lead-up in the 4.X series is also great- and much more enticing than the lead-up in 3.4 and 3.55. Get prospective subs hooked on the cliffhangers leading into 5.0 and they'll be salivating for the story of Shadowbringers.

[Caddo]

Heavensward is a good spot to stop for the trial. It is just a trial after all. Something to try to get you interested in the game and right now is easily over 100+ hours of free content, loads of classes to get to 60 and what not. Giving away Stormblood would basically make 70% (at that rate) of the game free and at that point it's not just a trial, it starts to dip heavy into the free to play market.

I'm still surprised they even gave the free trial Heavensward.

[Caddo]

Well, they are moving to support the single-player type of FF fans so not sure if a free trial on its own needs more expansions (still not something to complain about). I would say they could give a bit more recognition to free-trial players that went way beyond the normal gameplay and like farmed relic weapons or something similar maybe a bit of housing with some custom apartment option?

Why would a free trial deserve special treatment over a paying customer who did the same content and if not more..? This is honestly not a good idea and I would hate to see free trial players being offered bonus goodies for playing the same game as a paying customer.

[sharknado]

Why would a free trial deserve special treatment over a paying customer who did the same content and if not more..? This is honestly not a good idea and I would hate to see free trial players being offered bonus goodies for playing the same game as a paying customer.

Not really a special treatment but rather achievement based that both free trial and normal players can achieve. And as some achievements are way harder when you are locked to level 60 and no MB it could be cool to see such players and how much sanity they put into the game. There are free trial legends out there, you sometimes see them on reddit on YT but you can't check for such people on your world or DC.

[RobynDaBank]

I do find it pleasantly funny that none of the FT players can reply here and give their viewpoint on if they find the trial adequate...

[Aneshda]

Just NO. The Free Trial we have now is good enough. If Players wants more, buy this Game like everyone else.

[Caddo]

I do find it pleasantly funny that none of the FT players can reply here and give their viewpoint on if they find the trial adequate...

Because the trial is more than adequate. They get around ~420 MSQ from 2.0 up to finishing 3.5

This is not counting job quests.
This is not counting crafting quests.
This is not counting gathering quests.
This is not counting side quests.

They also get access to 13 Combat Jobs they can get to level 60 on.

.... This is a lot for a "trial".

[Mr_Gyactus]

with the market getting more and more crowded

List of MMo closed in 2022:

Eternal Magic
Halo 3 (online server)
Mu Origin
Kritika Reboot
Element Quest
Proving Grounds
TitanReach
Warhammer Odyssey
Bethesda Launcher
Elite Dangerous (console version)
MMO Marvel: something with daybreak, in development.
Survarium
Atlas Rogues
Heroes of Newerth
Divergence Online
Otherland
Spellbreak
EVE Valkyrie
TERA
Shadow Arena
MMO Neptune: World of Warcraft mobile.
Babylon’s Fall
Google Stadia
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier
Scavengers
Aura Kingdom
Crowfall
Forsaken World
Bless Unleashed (console version)
Elyon: Ascent Infinite Realm
The Repopulation
Rumbleverse
Knockout City
Apex Legends Mobile
Battlefield Mobile
Crossfire X

More than a crowd is a graveyard, or are you afraid of a zombie attack?


Putting this aside, I don't think we'll have more players with another free expansion: I'm levelling an alt in these days, and I'm first-hand touching what SE changed in ARR 49+ MSQ and MSQ dungeons.
If a player doesn't like the game after all the content SE gives as a trial I don't think stormblood could change his mind.