One of the biggest betrayals in FFXIV's supposed identity is how it's touted as the ultimate social MMO, yet to me, it feels more anti-social than ever. The community and dev team prioritize fostering social interaction, but where? Finding an active Free Company that RP doesn't consume feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. And once you find a group, what can you do together? Raiding and treasure maps – that's about it. Beyond that, the game practically plays like a single-player RPG, with Limsa Lominsa reduced to nothing more than a glorified AFK lobby.

Party Finder is overrun with what can only be described as businesses masquerading as community activities—venues more interested in boosting a DJ's Twitch viewership than creating real, meaningful connections. It doesn't feel like community bonding; you're just another number.

Social platforms like Twitter/X and Reddit don't help either. Instead of fostering discussion, they're dominated by echo chambers where you're either fully aligned with the hive mind or silenced for fear of stepping out of line.

Even raiding, the supposed pinnacle of community collaboration, has become a mixed bag. Statics fall apart when content is cleared, leaving behind a trail of burned bridges. Most of the time, I never see those people again—because we're too busy resenting each other. Maybe I killed their parse. Perhaps they think I dragged us down. It doesn't matter; the result is the same. FFXIV feels less like a social haven and more like an isolating, segmented experience where connections are fleeting and shallow.

FFXIV is starting to feel shallow in its single-player aspects, which used to be its saving grace. Patch cycles are growing longer, yet the content we're getting feels like a downgrade, getting less per patch. The story, once the game's crown jewel, is starting to falter with questionable writing and pacing. Even something as simple as hairstyles isn't appropriately handled when we finally get a new style.

Jobs? They're being gutted and oversimplified, stripping away the depth and complexity that once made them engaging to master. This isn't just a gameplay issue; it's an identity crisis. The game offers plenty to do, but there's little to no incentive to do any of it. Take Extreme Primal mounts, for example: why should I bother grinding them now when I know that by 8.0, the drop rates will increase, unsync will make it trivial, and patience will reward me more than effort ever could?

This creeping sense of hollowness in both multiplayer and single-player experiences is undeniable. For all the game's talk of being a vibrant, dynamic world, it feels like the soul that once drove it is slowly slipping away.