Not really. I've been playing since 2.1, when housing was first introduced. I remember our small FC saving for a house and getting it like a few weeks later (this was on Balmung, and yes housing back then wasn't this bad lol). But I never really thought "Oh I have to have a personal house or I can't play this game!", because... I didn't come to this game for housing. This year, so like 3 and half years later, I moved from Balmung and I did get a small personal house because I could. I had spare gil and I randomly stumbled upon a small house in LB. It's a nice location, it's on its own island, I can fish in my backyard and all, it's really cool. Have a little personal bridge leading to it and I really do enjoy being in LB. But even when I found the empty plot, I was debating with a friend if I should go for it for like an hour or so. I wanted to experience gardening mostly, tbh, so I went for it. I love it, but... it's not why I play. I got an apartment in Shirogane today so I can have cheaper teleportation to that part of the world, mostly. But... is it a major feature? No. You can experience almost everything in the game without it. Heck, just get an apartment and you can experience almost everything but advanced gardening and plopping down outside furniture.