I was super positive for the first 5 years. All I really ask is that they experiment more, not in side-content silos but in the core of the game. The core of main scenario quests, fates, tomestones, hunts, gear progression, etc. There's no way that the ARR game design they came up with in 2013-15 is still the best that they can do in 2023 and beyond, on infinite repeat.

I know they are very successful and they have waves of new players coming in who aren't going to be burned out for a while. Unfortunately there's no business reason for S-E to drastically overhaul anything and there's virtually no competition, no exodus of players for greener pastures. It's too expensive and risky to build a legit exciting contender with this much content.

I just find it a bit sad for a game in the FINAL FANTASY brand to be serving up such a predictable content cycle. Outside of MMOs, FF is known for innovation and new technology. We've been eating the same meal for so long, they just change the spices a little sometimes. I was in my mid-twenties when I tried version 1.X, now I'm 37. That's why I've grown so tired of a lack of mystery and adventure, a lack of new core systems to learn.