Well, lets look at this like the US and the Russians. The US spent tons of money and time making a pen that can write in 0 gravity..

The Russians used a pencil.

Seeing how this game is currently producing no ROI... i think they want to take the fastest way to make the players happy and get their ROI for their work.

They tried to be completely different, the ideas where there, but they didn't test throughly enough. They can waste more time and money trying to be different or they can use the knowledge of a successful MMO and make a game that your average person wants to play that is ff themed.

And a grappling hook? Really?... having to sit through a real auction? have you ever been to an auction? They are the most boring places in the world.