Quote Originally Posted by Stormpeaks View Post
Encouraging players to play with NPC's instead of actual players in an MMO is... something else, and is not normal.
SE is aiming for a wider audience than typical MMORPG players. It's a different normal than before, but one that ensures that players who are in the game for the Final Fantasy, and not the MMORPG, can more easily complete the MSQ.

You could level up through the entirety of World of Warcraft over the years without ever touching a dungeon instance or playing in a group with other people. Same for most MMORPGs over the last 20 years. FFXIV is the only game that requires a player to engage in group play in order to level up.