Will linkshells need to decide on one company for all of its members to join?

[Zomb]

This is something my linkshell has been wondering since they announced the Grand Companies. I haven't seen any confirmation on this either way. Have they indicated if the future party content will be dependent on which company you join?

My linkshell is divided three ways (as you would expect) as to which company we would all choose if need be. To me it wouldn't make much sense for an entire linkshell to have to choose one, because then future members looking to join a linkshell would be limited to shells that belong to their company.

Also, they've posted on the companies page that there will be a trial period for each company before you have to commit to one forever. Does this mean the entire set of missions added in 1.18 will be playable without commitment? Or does it mean that we can try the initial recruitment quest only before making this decision?

What do you guys think?

[Arcell]

I'm hoping like side-quests you don't need to meet any requirements to simply help, you just don't get any credit for finishing it if you don't have it. It would really suck to make it so only people in that company could help with missions, especially without telling us ahead of time.

[Fleur]

I would really like to know this as well, and I too hope that company-related group content can be completed with your friends regardless of which company you are each in.

[Roaran]

I'm guessing they all have the same quests, which would allow us all to cooperate ( the whole point of the companies ), and most likely the greatest differences will be rewards.

[Zomb]

I'm guessing they all have the same quests, which would allow us all to cooperate ( the whole point of the companies ), and most likely the greatest differences will be rewards.

Yeah I'm hoping that this is the case. I'm thinking the rewards will probably depend on which guilds are in that company's city-state. I'm also hoping that this thread gets pretty active so that we might get an official answer from the devs. We'll know in a few hours if it matters for the current content, but it would be nice to get a statement regarding the content they're planning for the future.

[Arcell]

Well it won't be a problem for 1.18 since anything past Recruit won't be introduced until 1.19 at the earliest. Hopefully we'll get an answer by then.

[ObeiKinstar]

It could be like with main story missions how we all start with different ones, but then all do the same ones later on.

[Fated]

The patch notes seem to imply that you can join all three.

Under the "System" heading

Lists the Grand CompanieS you have joined, your standing within their ranks, and your company seal totals.

[Zomb]

The patch notes seem to imply that you can join all three.

Under the "System" heading

Seems like that must be a typo. This is from the Grand Companies page:

In time, you will find yourself prompted to formally enlist. To which company would you swear allegiance? For whom would you lay down life and limb? Only you will know the answer to these questions.