Should this game be tailored for Final Fantasy fans or MMO fans?

[gifthorse]

FFXI had 500k subs, but Final Fantasy fans are in the 7million range. Even FF 13 sold 6million copys. They succeed with that playerbase they will win.

Most final fantasy fans would never put up with grind that is FFXI and FFXIV without a story-driven story or some other driving force behind them.

[Cairdeas]

The only reason I hit cap in XI was the story Gifthorse...

[Yumi_Hibiki]

Most final fantasy fans would never put up with grind that is FFXI and FFXIV without a story-driven story or some other driving force behind them.

i think its rather, most FF fans dont want to pay 10 bucks a month for a game period, no matter how good it is
at least most people i know are like that

[siddichan]

The world is not black and white. The entire argument that only one group should be interested in this game will be one-sided, lacking foresight and plainly.. never good.

Look at the situation through SE's shoes. They're working dilligently at improving a game for free that should be bringing them an income. It currently isn't. You can blame it on the previous game development team but if blaming is all we can do, we don't deserve to see them succeed. Either way, when the improvements are done, do you think they want to tap into the smaller market of FF fans or a larger, more global market of casual MMO players AND FF fans?

Every Final Fantasy title has a few things in common: Cid, Chocobos, Moogles, Guardians/Avatars(some, not all), epic storyline, constantly changing battle system and consistently different worlds. Those differences made Final Fantasy and the quality of the games kept us coming back. Is it so much of a stretch if FFXIV gained a whole new market simply by being the next-gen MMO that FFXI never was? Hm... let me think on that...

[Krausus]

The world is not black and white. The entire argument that only one group should be interested in this game will be one-sided, lacking foresight and plainly.. never good.

the problem is people are trying to make this thread that argument but if you read the title then you will see the question is who the game should be tailored to not who should be interested in it.

Its a part of the FF franchise and FF world, it should obviously be developed around the FF world and tailor to FF fans. Just because it is tailored to FF fans does not mean it wont appeal to those new to Final Fantasy but will be a turn off to those who hate FF (which it should be). There are enough MMOs out there that are not FF games. Why should one of two FF MMOs not tailor to FF fans but the general public. It makes zero sense at all.

[Verecund]

They should consider introducing convenient features, while mainly focusing on telling an interesting and engaging story with ground-breaking and dynamicly-driven content.