FFXIV's Future

[R041]

To be fair, the ask was for "harder mid-level content", not "harder mid-level content with near-Savage Tier rewards" (aka Mythic+). It was the challenge that players stressed they wanted, not the gear to get them straight into Savage Tier content. Would players be happy with sub-EX trial gear rewards?

Referencing Mythic+ is both Challenging AND Rewarding. That's the whole point of M+. Where are these people that only wanted a challenge? Also M+ is DYNAMIC challenge. Which Variant lacks. There's no reason to repeat it, it never changes the challenge. There's no weekly reset for what modifiers Variant gets, with new rewards.

Raiders are talking about gear. The people that want mid-level content just want challenging things to do with a rewarding reason to continue to do them through content lulls.

You don't need to look very far to realize that's the case here. We want Eureka and Bozja style engagement, with Eureka and Bozja style rewards. That's it. It's not rocket surgery.

So giving us a squirrel to kill and then handing us some Materia is like a slap in the face when you compare it to Eureka and Bozja. We're literally getting memed on.
Yoshi gave me a 5 course meal last week, why am I only getting a carrot today but I pay the same price?

Now if Raiders think that type of content should ALSO provide some more paths to gear, I don't blame them. They can have that too. Especially considering Variant is presented as some kinda end-game, but lacks any form of reward outside of squirrel meme.

It's bad when both raider and casual think the content is lackluster.