People often argue that Savage is "too hard" and that is why most players avoid it. But if that were true, then why is participation at its lowest point now, when the content is easier and more accessible than ever?

Shadowbringers (5.x):
~1.2–1.5 million active characters
12–15% tried Savage (~150k–200k players)
6–8% cleared the final floor of each tier

Dawntrail (7.x so far):
~990k active characters
~5% or less tried Savage (~45k–50k players)
Only 1.5–2.5% cleared the final floor (M4S), depending on region

Participation has dropped by more than half, and clears have fallen by about 70%. The content itself is not harder, in fact Savage has been streamlined and softened with every expansion. The real issue is that Square Enix has spent years ostracizing the raiding community, stripping away incentives, and refusing to attach meaningful rewards to high end content.

Instead, they cater to a vocal minority who are not running the content anyway, and the result is what we see now: an empty endgame, dwindling clears, and no motivation to engage. If the players who actually thrive on challenge are pushed away, the game loses the community that sustains it long term.