does anyone else not play xiv as much as before after dt?

[Hycinthus]

It's a good investment, but it's also a massive risk, taking a game offline for over a year will just encourage more people to move on completely, since they wouldn't really be bound to the game.

and honestly, they can update the game into oblivion.. But it's the content that matters and if they're just going to stick to the same rigid schedule then all it will amount to is those people that do return, inevitably getting bored and burnt out again.

A Realm Reborn Reborn?

I'm not sure about how many people are actually burnt out. I still continue to play, but I've tempered playtime with other Real Life(tm) activities. Things like tabletop RPGs, reading, binge watching an enormous number of Chinese donghua, trips abroad and, of course, work.

Be truthful here. If any game went offline for 2 years and came back, would you really feel 'energized' and subscribe again? Or would you have already moved on to something else?

People did with A Realm Reborn. I think they would subscribe again.

While upgrading the engine, they can just do a whole rebranding. Take this time to re-think of new ways on how content updates would be delivered. Revamp the whole 'rigid schedule' format. Introduce new things, revamp how the overworld zones work. Get a new writer.

To be honest, if they ever want to ever upgrade the engine, is there better time to do it than now? Do they want this to last another 15-20 years? I cannot think of a better time than now.