If FFXIV had been happy happy rainbows and no hard subjects and nuance from the start. This would be fine, but you cant just happy laserbeam the world and toneshift suddenly and expect people to be fine with it.

It doesnt match the earlier worldbuilding and tone. If you want to make a hildibrand happy boing boing sound effect cartoon game. Make it. Stop forcing it into a game you somewhat treated seriously and that handled serious subjects.
If Yoshi P is sick of "dark themes and darkness" he should get another job