Why FFXIV’s Housing System Is Failing Its Players, and Why It Must Change

[Solowing]

and your reply's are not emotional arguments? calling the kettle black cause everytime you seem to interact with housing posts you deny, deflect, an object to anything that would remotely improve the way the system works or would give everyone a house with all things included that current owners already enjoy for themselves.

If you want a ward bid for it like the rest of us or go where the supply is easily accessible. If you are unwilling to go where the supply is.Or you don't want to deal with the bidding.I don't feel bad for you. You don't want to increase your chances and I don't feel bad for you.

You have 45 days to keep your plot.If you don't log in and lose it that's on you (your physical or mental health/state is none of anyones concern but your own) There are too many players and not enough plots to go around.So if it goes unused it needs to go back up on the market for whatever reason. Use it or lose it.

Square does read the feedback and they do respond to some of the players feedback. Like Apts, the demo timer, the hidden release timer, theme changes, the lottery system, and even readjusting the lighting from the model update But instanced housing? One of the topics that pop up time and time again? They arnt entertaining it..Regardless on how I feel on the matter. The silence on this subject over the last decade tells me all I need to know.

[s32ialx]

You have 45 days to keep your plot.If you don't log in and lose it that's on you (your physical or mental health/state is none of anyones concern but your own)

I truly hope you never have to deal with a physical illness like cancer or diabetes or mental health like PTSD and brain damage, you have 0 compassion and it's disgusting, no it's sad, it's worrisome, it's concerning.

[Khryseis_Astra]

Square does read the feedback and they do respond to some of the players feedback. Like Apts, the demo timer, the hidden release timer, theme changes, the lottery system, and even readjusting the lighting from the model update But instanced housing? One of the topics that pop up time and time again? They arnt entertaining it..Regardless on how I feel on the matter. The silence on this subject over the last decade tells me all I need to know.

The sad thing is the reason they usually give for why it’s set up the way it is, is that they’re so attached to the “neighborhood feeling” of the wards, while instanced could actually create that better. Honestly I’d personally be happy with just an instanced plot off by itself with some generic background scenery. But now you have one of the XIV’s biggest competitors in the marketplace, WoW, creating instanced housing that will allow you to create housing neighborhoods with your friends or guildmates! With activities you can do together as a neighborhood!

Meanwhile, here the wards are now restricted to FC, Personal or Mixed, so if your FC is in an FC only ward, you can’t get a house next to your FC house. Even if your FC is in a mixed ward, the lotto makes it impossible to guarantee you a plot next to your FC house. So if you’re lucky enough to get a house at all, you’re living next to strangers you rarely even see, or worse, empty houses just being used for submarine farms. If a ward doesn’t have a really active FC or a venue, it’s pretty much a ghost town. It’s a “neighborhood” in layout only.

[Solowing]

I truly hope you never have to deal with a physical illness like cancer or diabetes or mental health like PTSD and brain damage, you have 0 compassion and it's disgusting, no it's sad, it's worrisome, it's concerning.

You expecting a video game to account for your life circumstances is sad.

You'd get a Sob story everytime someone lost their plot and everyone would be asking for their plots back. You just have to point to the rules and say no exceptions.

[Solowing]

The sad thing is the reason they usually give for why it’s set up the way it is, is that they’re so attached to the “neighborhood feeling” of the wards, while instanced could actually create that better. Honestly I’d personally be happy with just an instanced plot off by itself with some generic background scenery. But now you have one of the XIV’s biggest competitors in the marketplace, WoW, creating instanced housing that will allow you to create housing neighborhoods with your friends or guildmates! With activities you can do together as a neighborhood!

Meanwhile, here the wards are now restricted to FC, Personal or Mixed, so if your FC is in an FC only ward, you can’t get a house next to your FC house. Even if your FC is in a mixed ward, the lotto makes it impossible to guarantee you a plot next to your FC house. So if you’re lucky enough to get a house at all, you’re living next to strangers you rarely even see, or worse, empty houses just being used for submarine farms. If a ward doesn’t have a really active FC or a venue, it’s pretty much a ghost town. It’s a “neighborhood” in layout only.

I do enjoy the neighborhood idea myself. However it does require the players to make it work. But if the players themselves don't want to spend time in the wards or the ward or their plots for any length of time. The whole neighborhood idea falls apart. The fact that my plot and Apts have permanent fixxed locations. I like being able to freely waltz into your housing unit (as I've done so, you have a cozy fc room)

And to have a permanent location it has to be limited. I don't want to end up with a system like island sanctuary.Where it's a friend list limited system or you have to be online for players to check out your housing space.


If you get a bunch of actual housing buffs in one ward, the neighborhood would come to life. It's more so that you have players wanting plots because it's exclusivity not necessarily because they want to decorate. So once they obtain it they decorate a little bit and eventually move on and go back to hanging out in the hubs. So the wards feel empty in comparison.

For example if I were in your ward. The ward would feel livelier because I spend most of my time out in the ward/housing. If you had other players like that then you would feel the ward feels like a neighborhood.

But if I weren't interested in housing beyond obtaining it. Of course I would try to decorate a little bit but I would move on soon after. And only return to maintain the plot once i was done. So you're ward feels empty because I willingly choose to stay in the hubs over the housing wards.

I read in your other post that they reactivated the north american demolition timer. So I thought to check my word to see what plots opened up. Only one did on excalibur in ward 4. So the housing ward is quiet but players are active enough to keep their plots

[ShadowyZero]

You expecting a video game to account for your life circumstances is sad.

You'd get a Sob story everytime someone lost their plot and everyone would be asking for their plots back. You just have to point to the rules and say no exceptions.

proving my point already to be true you're just here to derail or troll those of us who want change lol an letting your emotions twist your judgement cause you have that "got mine" attitude an feel so privileged that you didnt have to deal with the burden of getting what you wanted.
we all are paying customers here and its pathetic to simp this hard for a multi-millonaire business that can and should be giving us returns on our monthly payment. not giving us half baked excuses for why they can't give us anything for that investment back
so do us all a favor "solowing" an kindly take your bitterness and trolling somewhere where its appreciated cause no one in this thread cares for your opinion either

[Solowing]

proving my point already to be true you're just here to derail or troll those of us who want change lol an letting your emotions twist your judgement cause you have that "got mine" attitude an feel so privileged that you didnt have to deal with the burden of getting what you wanted.
we all are paying customers here and its pathetic to simp this hard for a multi-millonaire business that *can and should be giving us *returns on our monthly payment* (in what form in relation to housing?) (We are speaking on housing, not the overall game, youre using all encompassing language). not giving us half baked excuses for why they can't give us anything for that investment back
so do us all a favor "solowing" an kindly take your bitterness and trolling somewhere where its appreciated cause no one in this thread cares for your opinion either

To address bit by bit.

That is literally what would happen, no plot would ever get freed up for due to every unforseen circumstance under the sun being the reason why somebody couldn't get to their plot in time. Unfortunately due to the plots being limited supply that rule must be non-negotiable as cold as it comes off as. Remember I am also subjected to these rules. And when I lost my Brynildr ward 7 plot 41 medium. I didnt rage that I lost my FC and the plot. I knew the rules and I slipped up and that's on me. Im living by the rules I asked for, so I couldn't and don't complain about losing it.

Yes we are all paying customers, you have access to housing. But its not granted to you.... it requires a level 50, side quest, GC Rank and the gil to purchase it. Notice in no part does it promise you anything, all it does is give you access to housing. And the burden of obtaining that plot/apt is on the player.

There's nothing bitter about it.You just don't like what I have to say. But unfortunately this is one of the things that is well known about parts of the community. Anything they don't like or agree with they'll try to silence it.

You've called me Bitter, a troll a simp, privileged.

I started with no housing just like you, i started on the same playing field as you did so how am I privileged?

A Troll? For not agreeing with you? Am I supposed to agree with you? Am I allowed.to have.my own opinion and thoughts?

A Simp? For posting my own opinions? I like the ward system snd thats fine.

I care just as much about your personal situation over losing your plot as much as you care about my opinion. It isnt my problem, it isnt my concern. But actually thats how players are going to treat a demod plot. They see open plots, they want open plots. Even if you lost a plot and explained to anyone who came to bid on that now open plot that, a dire life situation took place and you lost it and want to recover it. You'd still be bidding against 10 people minimum even after explaining it to everyone.

I called your your demand entitled, but it actually fit the definition. "Entitled" Having a right or claim to something,

[s32ialx]

To address bit by bit.
Snip

Thanks for laying out your perspective, I can see you’re speaking from personal experience, and I respect that. But I want to clarify a few things, especially since this conversation started as an advocacy for mental health support in FFXIV’s housing system, not a demand for special treatment. Mental Health isn’t an excuse, It’s a reality.

You mentioned that if exceptions were made for "every unforeseen circumstance", no plots would ever free up. But mental health crises aren’t just "unforeseen circumstances", they’re medical emergencies. Just like physical illness, they can render someone unable to log in, pay a sub, or even communicate. Suggesting that players should simply "live by the rules" ignores the fact that some players are fighting for their lives, not just their login streak.

You lost your plot and accepted it, and that’s valid. But not everyone has the same capacity to bounce back. Some players lose their homes while hospitalized, grieving, or in psychiatric care. That’s not slipping up, that’s surviving. Yes, technically everyone has "access" to housing. But access doesn’t mean attainability. If the system requires you to win a lottery, compete with bots, and maintain perfect attendance, then it’s not truly accessible, especially for players with disabilities, unpredictable schedules, or mental health challenges.

I haven’t called you bitter, a troll, or a simp, and I don’t condone anyone doing so. You’re absolutely allowed to have your own opinion. But when someone advocates for compassion and reform, and the response is "it’s not my problem", that’s not just disagreement, it’s dismissal. Calling someone "entitled" for wanting a system that doesn’t punish them for being sick or vulnerable? That’s not just semantics, it’s harmful. Wanting a fairer system isn’t entitlement. It’s empathy.

You’re right that even if someone loses a plot due to crisis, others will bid on it. That’s exactly why the system needs to change, so players aren’t forced to choose between healing and housing.

This isn’t about silencing opinions. It’s about amplifying the voices of those who’ve been punished for being human. And if FFXIV is truly a game about community, then we owe it to each other to build systems that reflect that.

[ShadowyZero]

This isn’t about silencing opinions. It’s about amplifying the voices of those who’ve been punished for being human. And if FFXIV is truly a game about community, then we owe it to each other to build systems that reflect that.

dont wast your energy or breath on that person OP you're advocating for a good cause don't let them poison you with their entitled behavior or toxic gate keeping mindset.
for as long as i have been a member of this forum "solowing" has done nothing but call us names or tell us to give up on owning a plot on our own servers where most of our friends and fc would reside on an blame us for SE's failure to provide its paying subscribers what they pay for namely for content and for a place to settle into ingame etc.

[ShadowyZero]

To address bit by bit.

I care just as much about your personal situation over losing your plot as much as you care about my opinion. It isnt my problem, it isnt my concern. But actually thats how players are going to treat a demod plot. They see open plots, they want open plots. Even if you lost a plot and explained to anyone who came to bid on that now open plot that, a dire life situation took place and you lost it and want to recover it. You'd still be bidding against 10 people minimum even after explaining it to everyone.

I called your your demand entitled, but it actually fit the definition. "Entitled" Having a right or claim to something,

its a digital asset and one that can be generated continuously for as long as the company has money going into it how on earth has this not crossed your mind?
do they not periodically add more wards? more apartments? and new districts retroactively? and what about their supposed investment in the cloud servers service? why is that not being utilized? an only now they tell us they can give us an increase in furnishing slots yet say no mention of adding additional wards etc.

this is not a luxury and its not a privilege or entitlement yes all that is correct so tell me again why YOU specifically then are against everyone player having access to one freely and privately? especially if we are all paying the same monthly why do only the "lucky" get to keep an own one while the rest have to settle for less or nothing at all?
its not a choice its forcefully shoved down our throats and hearing people like you tell us "too bad how sad, you could move you just dont want too." is disingenuous and its rude. not to mention just making excuses for the development to ignore our feedback to change all that so its completely a non-existent issue. everyone would have a plot they could have whatever size they want and it would be good you would never hear this argument again. having a plot doesn't make you "special" or "chosen" just means you got it thru your own time and efforts an rather than antagonizing us for wanting the same thing you should just not join these threads at all if it bothers you so badly that the poor gamers all want a house plot like all their friends and guild mates without sacrificing convenience.