The current state of the "MMORPG" FFXIV is unsustainable. Here's why

[Atelier-Bagur]

There's nothing to respect about this. It's not a sound business decision because obviously larger populations bring more money and it also doesn't respect the players who are fans and pay for the content year round. What it does succeed in though, is creating a temporary stream of new players that will treat it as a disposable game and do a one and done run. Hardly long term potential here.

The game will age, you know who might stay with it? loyal fans if they feel like the devs really care about them.

yeah so did everyone and their mom make the same comments towards WoW numerous times and look how well it's doing now.

[Ath192]

yeah so did everyone and their mom make the same comments towards WoW numerous times and look how well it's doing now.

Wow seems to be doing alright still, even its bad spell didn't put the company in too much financial trouble. But need I remind you that this game exists only of its fanbase? I shouldn't have to tell you that the casual base jumped ship nearly as quickly as they joined because the game needed a ton of work. People who aren't fans and just try the game are nice to haves, not the core you build your product around.

But guess who is getting punished in the current environment? The long termers that don't have the "loads" of content everyone keeps talking about because they were there when it released. At best they have some achievements that are insanely hard to get and don't reward much besides a title or even worse 10 points you can't spend on anything. Maybe a mount you wont use because people can teleport up anyone's butt in seconds too? There's an Aetheryte every 5 inches of this game.

This is just an unsound business move. But it isn't unlike square to kill its games.

Right now, when its enjoying popularity the game should be focusing on blowing up all sorts of content and cement a gigantic population (It's the profitable thing to do as well). Not stick to the bare minimum cycle it has. The one good move it's done is the graphics update.

This game is in an unsustainable state. Nobody is going to stick around. My biggest request ever was the graphics update, and because of that I'm committed to play 7.0. They've secured my money there. What I didn't expect was considering unsubbing until 7.0 now because there isn't a reason for vets to stick around in its current design philosophy. This is something that hadn't crossed my mind in half a decade.

And I'm not burnt out. I'd gladly keep going if there was a reason to. I'm just not finding it. I play plenty of other games too. Lets face it if you keep current there has never been a patch where it takes insanely long to get caught up in recent memory. We've just hit a new low this time.

What's SE saying to me? A user that's been here for years, with plenty of money to spend and gladly willing to do so on the game but they don't want to give me anything in order to secure it? I'm not asking selfishly either. I'm asking as a business decision? What's up? Why don't you want money?

And I'm speaking for a lot of people who feel the same way that I do, they just unsub and don't say anything though. But about half are gone for good. Endwalker was the end. Despite their insistence that it's not. They are making sure its a great time to hang up that sword/staff.

[magitekLuna]

Wow seems to be doing alright still, even its bad spell didn't put the company in too much financial trouble. But need I remind you that this game exists only of its fanbase? I shouldn't have to tell you that the casual base jumped ship nearly as quickly as they joined because the game needed a ton of work. People who aren't fans and just try the game are nice to haves, not the core you build your product around.

But guess who is getting punished in the current environment? The long termers that don't have the "loads" of content everyone keeps talking about because they were there when it released. At best they have some achievements that are insanely hard to get and don't reward much besides a title or even worse 10 points you can't spend on anything. Maybe a mount you wont use because people can teleport up anyone's butt in seconds too? There's an Aetheryte every 5 inches of this game.

This is just an unsound business move. But it isn't unlike square to kill its games.

Right now, when its enjoying popularity the game should be focusing on blowing up all sorts of content and cement a gigantic population (It's the profitable thing to do as well). Not stick to the bare minimum cycle it has. The one good move it's done is the graphics update.

This game is in an unsustainable state. Nobody is going to stick around. My biggest request ever was the graphics update, and because of that I'm committed to play 7.0. They've secured my money there. What I didn't expect was considering unsubbing until 7.0 now because there isn't a reason for vets to stick around in its current design philosophy. This is something that hadn't crossed my mind in half a decade.

And I'm not burnt out. I'd gladly keep going if there was a reason to. I'm just not finding it. I play plenty of other games too. Lets face it if you keep current there has never been a patch where it takes insanely long to get caught up in recent memory. We've just hit a new low this time.

What's SE saying to me? A user that's been here for years, with plenty of money to spend and gladly willing to do so on the game but they don't want to give me anything in order to secure it? I'm not asking selfishly either. I'm asking as a business decision? What's up? Why don't you want money?

And I'm speaking for a lot of people who feel the same way that I do, they just unsub and don't say anything though. But about half are gone for good. Endwalker was the end. Despite their insistence that it's not. They are making sure its a great time to hang up that sword/staff.

sadly people dont get that if you did the old content its no longer there for you. its just show that there not much people that are here form the 2.0 days. or even 2-3 years ago. the people that say that they still go so much to do after years of play just dont play the game .

[Ath192]

sadly people dint get that if you did the old content its no longer there for you. its just show that there not much people that are here form the 2.0 days. or even 2-3 years ago. the people that say that they still go so much to do after years of play just dont play the game .

Exactly.

And you know my biggest resentment? It's that while I understand that they want to make FF relevant again and are chasing the old glory days dream with XVI they are blowing up a once in a lifetime opportunity to turn FFXIV into a juggernaut MMO that brings millions for years to come.

I can tell you right now the XVI, as good as it may be. It could even be a 10/10 across the board, will never be as profitable as XIV is. EVER. Because of its single player nature. SE got handed a huge population inheritance from Blizzards mistakes and the press that followed XIV and could hyper focus on retaining as much of it as possible to truly rake in the cash. But in this misguided attempt they are letting the opportunity go. But just look at their CEO and their NFT bet. And all the crap games they release. No. It's sad such a great IP doesn't have visionaries leading it.

And it's not to say they shouldn't be focusing on XVI, and I do hope its good. But this was not the place to skimp out on. at all.

Honestly nobody there sees this game for what it could be. So it just kind of wont happen.

[MonteCristo]

Exactly.

And you know my biggest resentment? It's that while I understand that they want to make FF relevant again and are chasing the old glory days dream with XVI they are blowing up a once in a lifetime opportunity to turn FFXIV into a juggernaut MMO that brings millions for years to come.

I can tell you right now the XVI, as good as it may be. It could even be a 10/10 across the board, will never be as profitable as XIV is. EVER. Because of its single player nature. SE got handed a huge population inheritance from Blizzards mistakes and the press that followed XIV and could hyper focus on retaining as much of it as possible to truly rake in the cash. But in this misguided attempt they are letting the opportunity go. But just look at their CEO and their NFT bet. And all the crap games they release. No. It's sad such a great IP doesn't have visionaries leading it.

And it's not to say they shouldn't be focusing on XVI, and I do hope its good. But this was not the place to skimp out on. at all.

Honestly nobody there sees this game for what it could be. So it just kind of wont happen.

Masterful take indeed

[Jojoya]

Honestly nobody there sees this game for what it could be. So it just kind of wont happen.

So tell them what "could be" is.

Don't speak in broad fanciful strokes such as "millions for years to come". Those days are gone. Gaming and players have both changed greatly in the decade plus since WoW was able to reach 12 million concurrent subscribers.

Speak in detail. Speak about the type of content you think that players want. Speak about what should be kept, what should be discarded and what should be added.

Speak about how much time per week you think players would be willing and able to invest in a single game.

And then don't be shocked when it turns out your "could be" isn't what other players actually want.

[Shinkuno]

So tell them what "could be" is.

Don't speak in broad fanciful strokes such as "millions for years to come". Those days are gone. Gaming and players have both changed greatly in the decade plus since WoW was able to reach 12 million concurrent subscribers.

Speak in detail. Speak about the type of content you think that players want. Speak about what should be kept, what should be discarded and what should be added.

Speak about how much time per week you think players would be willing and able to invest in a single game.

And then don't be shocked when it turns out your "could be" isn't what other players actually want.

The only thing i see you talk about is time spent ingame, telling me you really dont want to play the game

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

So tell them what "could be" is.

Don't speak in broad fanciful strokes such as "millions for years to come". Those days are gone. Gaming and players have both changed greatly in the decade plus since WoW was able to reach 12 million concurrent subscribers.

Speak in detail. Speak about the type of content you think that players want. Speak about what should be kept, what should be discarded and what should be added.

Speak about how much time per week you think players would be willing and able to invest in a single game.

And then don't be shocked when it turns out your "could be" isn't what other players actually want.

Online gaming has shifted away from MMO time sinks and towards things like MOBAs and Battle Royals where games last all of 15 minutes and then you can hop into the next one.

[ReynTime]

It's super disingenuous to say this game has "a lot of content" for hardcore players. Almost all that content is made to fit in the same exact template. OCCASIONALLY you're surprised by a new unique mechanic. They used to be more distinct in the past too. But since Shadowbringers? If you experienced a few duties of a type of content, you kind of already seen 90% pf what the next ones will offer. If a player already cleared the current tier they're not missing out a lot by clearing, say, Eden Savage.

And to that shill that said he was glad Endwalker didn't get a Bozja equivalent... What a huge hypocrite you are. I'm sure as an adult with a working brain you realise you were essentially saying "I'm happy in addition to the content I enjoy you're not getting a type of content YOU enjoy." Because guess what, if you don't like a type of content that isn't even remotely required for casual OR hardcore character progression, just don't do it and let people who enjoy them have it.

Literally every single post you make that isn't about the MSQ is just free shilling for a company that is already getting your money from useless mogstation PNGs.

Also comparing XIV to MOBA design as a defense to the lack of lasting content is pathetic. Those games don't charge you to keep access. XIV does.

[DiaDeem]

But just look at their CEO and their NFT bet

Meta is winding down NFT support on both Facebook and Instagram. Ubisoft gave up on Quartz, and EA won't touch them with a ten foot pole. I give SE's NFT bs a year, maybe two at most. I just hope their games won't suffer too bad from the imminent failure of the NFT endeavor.