After the next expansion they should consider expanding the F2p experience

[Atelier-Bagur]

Man can we just cut with the Karen-esque "Im a paying customer" talk? Do you guys not listen to yourselves how stuck up and cringey you sound just even acting like this?

Anyway, I dont agree with the mentality shown here but I do think the current trial is good enough for free players to test out the game.

[Saraide]

They are probably already considering it. Actually extending it though is an entirely different question. They could easily judge it enough. Or they could extend it so that trial players arent too far behind current content if they do decide give money. Expansions arent being sold individually anyway.

[Hycinthus]

I don't think it's as simple as this.

For sure SE will have data at which point people play, which point players drop off, how soon people convert from free trial to subs.

For example, if they have really good amount free players converting before reaching the end HW of trial, AND, those who quit do quit before ending ARR, then they have no reason to change it. Because this means that HW itself is already enough to convince would-be subs players to convert, and it's enough to convince would-be quitters to quit. Extending that to SB doesn't benefit the company in any measurable way.

In another scenario, they may have data on how many players quit during SB MSQ. If they know a lot of quitters during SB, they will not open this up to free trial. Better have people pay for subs and then quit during SB, rather than free all the way to SB then quit at SB, basically, all of those playtime ARR>HW>SB provide 0 net conversion.

[Kaurhz]

I think in general they need to revise what they considered a 'F2P' experience, to be frank.

Edit: To give further insight into what I mean - If a person purchases the full game and then continues with this, they cannot go back, e.g., cannot go to a free trial. I would like to see it possible to go to a F2P experience regardless of the account, - and just retain many of the restrictions.

[Rehayem]

I think in general they need to revise what they considered a 'F2P' experience, to be frank.

Edit: To give further insight into what I mean - If a person purchases the full game and then continues with this, they cannot go back, e.g., cannot go to a free trial. I would like to see it possible to go to a F2P experience regardless of the account, - and just retain many of the restrictions.

I tried FFXIV back in Stormblood (months before ShB release) when free trial was 7 days. I didn't even reach level 10 because I was so busy with real life, it gave me no time to explore the game. I gave it another go in ShB when they increased free trial to level 35 with no limit and that alone gave me the desire to continue playing the game because the lore was interesting to me.

Free trial as is now, is good enough where it should stay for another 2-4 years, once we get more expansions. The reason the game is so successful is because it's not only subscription, but because it provides a massive amount of content that caters to different people. You want to do savage? There's players who do that. Crafting? Yep. RP? No problem. Giving players to try the game up to level 60 with 1 free expansion is as generous as it can be, even WoW limits you to level 20.

Making the game more "free to play" means sacrificing what we have now and getting ready for having more problems created in game, then selling the solutions on Mogstation -- this is the lead cause of most MMORPGs these days. No one wants to play a game with a huge RNG/gacha/lootbox system.

[Deveryn]

I think in general they need to revise what they considered a 'F2P' experience, to be frank.

Edit: To give further insight into what I mean - If a person purchases the full game and then continues with this, they cannot go back, e.g., cannot go to a free trial. I would like to see it possible to go to a F2P experience regardless of the account, - and just retain many of the restrictions.

I've seen this done before in Everquest 2 and I'm not a fan of this kind of system. One will likely end up not playing with all the restrictions that would be in place. If they do hang around, they're likely the type of person just taking up space. We already went through this whole thing of having free trials locked out during peak times (all times?) around Endwalker launch.

Housing would have to be addressed as a restriction. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if people could just ride the free trial all the way with their house they picked up while subscribed.

Overall, I feel like the current free trial gives people plenty to work with if they want to get a proper feel for the game. There are lots of hours of playtime to be had and lots of jobs to sample. The devs don't need to spend any more time on this part of the game.

[GTK0HLK]

Unlike many things.
There really is no sound reason to increase the Free Trial.

60 cap gives you a good idea how the combat classes can morph/change with the later expansions as a Normal Account.

You see the sidecontent available.
<excluding newer additions that they cannot like EZ, V/C Dngs, etc etc.>
Whilst having access to some things while limited. basically free reign.

They gain access to the feedback loop of crafters that they themselves will build for themselves.<while limited, it is more than enough.>

A free trial doesn't need exclusive things like achievements or etc. as a Free Trial in short Is a disposable sample[for lack of better description]
so any special addition/permanence for said players that the Trial is meant to convert to Full Player.[which I have high confidence in its % chance to do so] if it does not, their progress is null and void by their decision. as they decide how long they bother to keep progressing.
[that said, it's impressive that some do decide to all cap within the restrictions. but there is no permanence in its action. just like if one was to level to 30 before doing class/job quests or any other personal goals. or only using certain things once one personally feels earned]

[One cannot bring any point of Relating to SE gaining or losing money to this topic, as, regardless if we know where it goes or how much they do invest or not into XIV. we should and will always ask better from them. Improvements to the Full game trickle down to the Trial. The Trial benefits from the full game growing. Just like Duty Support being available to Trial Players. or Graphical upgrades and etc in the future.]

Tldr: There is no need for an increase or change to the Trial.
and if there was any, it'd be a change that improves the full game overall.

[Like new lower level content or changes. kinda like that neat upper la noscea change.]

[NekoMataMata]

Is it actually necessary? Is there anything in SB that is going to set the tone for ShB+?


HW is necessary because you really don't get to play most of your jobs until level 50, so that gives you 10 levels of content where you can actually experience things. You spend most of ARR building up to the point of having an actual rotation, even if it's on the small side and HW gives you somewhere to use it. That's more of the game's fault though.

[LaylaTsarra]

Free trial is already too generous. There is no need to expand it. The free trial folks if they want more need to pay a sub and help support the game. Simple enough they'll get access to everything just like the paying customers.

[Curisu]

Bots could become a bigger problem.

Botters could spam free trail accounts to reach and finish the lucrative Eureka.
The botted accounts that not got caught could then just farm there and get rich.

Because it is a lot easier to create a free trail account, then it is to buy the game with false credit card informations.