New teaser trailer was okay, but the tone and the music choice caught me off guard.

[DynnDiablos]

I am actually expecting this expansion to be a detour, "fun filler" expansion as a palette cleanser that then the 7.X patches actually begin the real set up for the new arc. This doesn't feel like the foundation for the next arc to me.

[Jeeqbit]

I am actually expecting this expansion to be a detour, "fun filler" expansion as a palette cleanser that then the 7.X patches actually begin the real set up for the new arc. This doesn't feel like the foundation for the next arc to me.

No particular guarantees of a long-term arc in general. They will probably do whatever they think fits. If there is a story they want to tell over two expansions they will probably do that rather than saying it has to necessarily be like the arc we've had that lasted a decade.

[Raikai]

I am actually expecting this expansion to be a detour, "fun filler" expansion as a palette cleanser that then the 7.X patches actually begin the real set up for the new arc. This doesn't feel like the foundation for the next arc to me.

I think otherwise... this is actually the perfect foundation, because it literally sets the tone down there at the lowest possible. Like, no matter what they do, the WoL can't really be treated like a beginner adventurer anymore, so having this 'relaxed' opening theme for the arc makes a lot of sense.

I'd personally bet that the serious tone will escalate as the MSQ progresses. I'd say the finale might as well add a big cliffhanger of the new theatening force that will be explored further in the patch series and beyond.

[Renathras]

I am actually expecting this expansion to be a detour, "fun filler" expansion as a palette cleanser that then the 7.X patches actually begin the real set up for the new arc. This doesn't feel like the foundation for the next arc to me.

I feel like 6.1-.5 should have been the "palette cleanser". An X.0 story is something like 5-10-20x as long as any single X.Y patch MSQ. Contrast 5.0 or 6.0's story to any of the sub-patches. The only one that came anywhere close in reveals and major story was 5.3. Even all together, 6.1-.4 would maybe be equivalent to 6.0's story from the start to Zodiark...which was 3-4 levels and about 30% of it.

I sincerely hope this isn't a "beach episode filler", or I might actually take a long break from the game for the first time. I'm hoping the full trailer will show there's more going on than just that.

The time for a "palette cleanser" would have been 6.1-6.4, with 6.5 (and maybe hinted at in 6.4) setting up the next arc, not an entire X.0.

EDIT:

Personally, I'm with OP on this one. It doesn't help that "nasaly boy band obligatory beach song" is quite possibly one of the genres of music I hate more than any other. Like, it makes me spontaneously angry and I have no idea why. Maybe I was a scorned teenybopper in a previous life or something, but I genuinely hate that kind of music with a passion, which is very rare for me since MOST music I enjoy, and most of the stuff I don't I can at least be neutral on. But that particular kind of music like the trailer sounds like cats fighting on a chalkboard and triggers a visceral response to me.

I'm hoping the rest of the trailer won't suck and will be better stuff. EW completely changed tone going from the SB screamo segment to the Sharl "Wings of Hope" segment, and the SB was after the HW segment with Estinian. But this one seems more like ShB. And to be fair, ShB kind of agitated me initially, but redeemed itself at the end of 5.0, but even there, the cutscene itself was epic to make up for it. This one is kinda..meh.

I did like to see WoL smile (twice). Once when asked if he was enjoying himself for once, and once when his cloak was set on fire. That was nice. The rest of it didn't really do it for me. Alise eating. G'Raha eating. Y'Shtola seeing sights could be interesting but might be meh. Estinian being a childcare worker is just going to be all kinds of annoying, calling it now. Thancred doing something as pedestrian as treasure hunting. And Urianger sipping a margarita. I dunno, the only one of those things that might be interesting to me is if Y'Shtola has some interesting research going on, but that'll just be the teaser at the end of the story that hints at some future story, I fear, rather than actually having a payoff in the main story of the expansion proper.

I'm withholding judgement until I see the complete trailer, but I kind of am not really enthused so far. Cautiously hopeful - these Devs have done a good job the last 10 years, so they deserve the balance of the benefit of doubt - but I'm iffy on how far to give that from what I've seen so far.

[caffe_macchiato]

If they wanted to go with 'Welcome to the filler beach expansion, have fun with your vacation." Then sure.

But that's what it is. We need to reset expectations so that people can get excited when 10.0 comes out in 2030. It's best to make expectations low right now so that we can all have fun in 2030. That's what matters, right? Who cares if this is filler when 10.0 is going to be the best expansion? What's the alternative, Shadowlands? Remember all the bad stuff like Bobby Kotick and the Cosby Suite? Yeah, you don't want to go there. Be grateful you have FFXIV. I myself can't wait for the new expansion to come out seven years from now. We're all hyped.

I am actually expecting this expansion to be a detour, "fun filler" expansion as a palette cleanser that then the 7.X patches actually begin the real set up for the new arc. This doesn't feel like the foundation for the next arc to me.

So true. The devs work so hard for so little, and they all deserve a rest. We can start the real story in 2025 or so, which will be the build-up to the new arc that will really start in 8.0. We can just play other games until then.