If you've 'run out of stuff to do' in a game as big as 14, the answer isn't 'more 14'

[Rolder50]

One month subscription; one-and-a-half months break. It's not a full time shackle.

Having to game the system just because you have a house is totally ridiculous.

[Supersnow845]

Honestly the cratering playerbase this expansion is actually giving me a slight bit of hope for DT, I’ve already been on break for 90% of EW and I want to play some new content

Hopefully this kicks square from reverse at least into neutral if nothing else because while it isn’t doomed another expansion like EW would not be healthy based on player trends

[Iscah]

Having to game the system just because you have a house is totally ridiculous.

You're moving the goalposts. Does this system allow you to take breaks, or does it not?

It's not like they put in an extra clause that shortens the demolition timer if you're not subbed.

[Theodric]

Having to game the system just because you have a house is totally ridiculous.

Especially when TESO, a competitor allows players to retain their houses if they decide to take a break for months or even years.

I think that FFXIV's approach comes across as extremely predatory and I think it was very telling that the paused housing demolition ended right before FFXVI launched. We're encouraged to take a break and play other games but also to keep our subscriptions running so we don't lose our houses.

[Rolder50]

You're moving the goalposts. Does this system allow you to take breaks, or does it not?

It's not like they put in an extra clause that shortens the demolition timer if you're not subbed.

How can I move the goalposts when I never set up any goalposts in the first place? I swear...

[Nebelheim]

You're moving the goalposts. Does this system allow you to take breaks, or does it not?

It's not like they put in an extra clause that shortens the demolition timer if you're not subbed.

House demolition is a horrible system to implement in any game that provides a housing system and should provide enough houses for everyone not make them rare to get and have people fight for a house.

[Kaurhz]

Uh... Well... It's half correct, yes... But...

The issue is not that people are spending a disproportionate amount of time in the game -- The issue is that they aren't really giving people a reason to play actually play Endwalker. Even the more 'substantive' content such as Island Sanctuary is just a weekly task because they elected to take the path of absolutely gutting what this could have and should have been.

I'm not even burnt out, but reflecting back, on this expansion thus far I have spent more time clearing up stuff from HW and ShB, than what I have actually spent doing Endwalker content. Not that this is inherently bad, but again, Endwalker just doesn't give players enough things to actively do -- Most pieces of content produced have been passive - e.g., Island Sanctuary, you'll visit there 1-2 times a week to set everything up for that week and then you forget the experience.

[ForteNightshade]

You're moving the goalposts. Does this system allow you to take breaks, or does it not?

It's not like they put in an extra clause that shortens the demolition timer if you're not subbed.

If anything, you're the one adding stipulations the original poster never insinuated. ForsakenRoe correctly pointed out that housing demolition is setup in a purposeful manner to keep players subbed, and that attempting to alleviate this frustration would only hurt their bottom line. You arguing how you can simply flex your sub every other month isn't a rebuttal to that statement nor is it "moving goalposts" to say it's "gaming the system" when that's exactly what you're doing. The system exists in the manner it does to make unsubbing inconvenient and you're trying to find ways around said inconvenience.

Case in point, 6.5 has very little content yet I cannot take an indefinite break until January, which is when the new relic step drops. I have to flex two months or lose my house. In other words, no, I can't "take a break" during a patch cycle. I can only take half a break if I jump through hoops.

[Striker44]

Honestly the cratering playerbase this expansion is actually giving me a slight bit of hope for DT, I’ve already been on break for 90% of EW and I want to play some new content

Hopefully this kicks square from reverse at least into neutral if nothing else because while it isn’t doomed another expansion like EW would not be healthy based on player trends

I hate to break it to you, but if this is the thought you're relying on, good luck. Starting with a false premise inevitably leads to a flawed conclusion. EW has been a resounding success from a population standpoint. The trend that has remained steady throughout XIV's entire history from ARR did the same here, with the population steadily growing at equivalent points compared to prior xpacs. There's also the need to factor out the anomaly caused by a mix of covid and the "WoW exodus" generating a huge spike in population that no honest, knowledgeable person would claim was sustainable. There was always going to be a subsequent drop when covid ended and many "WoW refugees" realized that this is a different MMO meant for a different target audience that likely wasn't them. Account for that and you realize EW has simply continued the same trend of steady growth and currently features the highest active playerbase of any expansion at this point in its patch cycle. That you seem to want SE to go from progressing to backwards just to please you and suit your personal desires is rather self-centered.

[Supersnow845]

I hate to break it to you, but if this is the thought you're relying on, good luck. Starting with a false premise inevitably leads to a flawed conclusion. EW has been a resounding success from a population standpoint. The trend that has remained steady throughout XIV's entire history from ARR did the same here, with the population steadily growing at equivalent points compared to prior xpacs. There's also the need to factor out the anomaly caused by a mix of covid and the "WoW exodus" generating a huge spike in population that no honest, knowledgeable person would claim was sustainable. There was always going to be a subsequent drop when covid ended and many "WoW refugees" realized that this is a different MMO meant for a different target audience that likely wasn't them. Account for that and you realize EW has simply continued the same trend of steady growth and currently features the highest active playerbase of any expansion at this point in its patch cycle. That you seem to want SE to go from progressing to backwards just to please you and suit your personal desires is rather self-centered.

Knowing that the WOW exodus population wasn’t sustainable and failing to hold any of them is to two totally different things, they never could have held 100% of them, the fact we are back to the long term growth trends with still 10 months till DT shows that if anything we lost all of them and then some. There is a legit chance EW finished off worse than ShB started once you account for the extra 10 months of no content

And I never said go backwards I said shift from going backwards to at least being roughly neutral considering we got less content with more players this expansion

But easy mistake to make when you barely even read a post rather than just starting with the assumption the person who wrote it is wrong