Is this game an "extended beta" version?

[Leeloo]

True that you're always gambling in a way with an mmo even in retail. Things will change and people will see it as "their" class getting nerfed when it may be balancing things for the better. Or "their" monopoly on hot items going bye bye when they become obsolete or less important. That's a couple examples anyway.

With XIV the gamble is much bigger because the future has been so uncertain at times. Putting a lot of time & effort into it is itself a gamble. Expecting it to turn around and become well populated again. And the majority voted for "drastic" changes so you can't get too attached to things as if they're set in stone. Plus it's still free to play when that wasn't expected.

That's why I call it "extended beta" until they think the game is fit enough to start charging. But if you don't like that phrase it doesn't really change the situation by calling it that or something different. Sounds like an argument over semantics.