Why is the Post-MSQ Content so Passive in Endwalker?

[Arkdra]

The thing is, a traditional MMO typically weaves more open world combat into it's quests. So you might have to fight your way to an objective in the open world to proceed, giving the player something to do. Whereas FFXIV tends to have a sparse world and prefers to instance combat or spawn a token mob during quests. Some of the fun of other MMOs is fighting your way into a temple to grab the object or scouting a jungle and beating back beasts to find the lost princess or whatever.

Whereas FFXIV loves its "standing around and endlessly talking" cutscenes.

Be the change you want to see in the world and just do some random fates while progressing the patch msq. Like, I am broadly with you in the sense that I think if you just burn MSQ, the game's pacing flies out the window and it sucks. But much to my chagrin, the majority of players treat this game like a visual novel and want to engage with the systems to the absolute minimum they possibly can.