Why are you not playing this game?

[Nandalowell]

I am currently without friends again so I'm catching up on my single player games while I wait for the patch. I've been playing too long and love the game too much to just quit; every few years I make a friend or two who gets me playing regularly again.

[Seig345]

Currently just grinding my last job that's sub-60 (mch) and on hiatus from spamming Ixal quests to level all my crafting jobs at once. I'm caught up on MSQ, have nearly 3 complete sets of Eureka gear including the "relics" (one set for each role), never really played MMOs for the hardcore end-game raiding or PvP (if I want PvP I'll play OverWatch).

I've been playing MMORPGs since back when EverQuest only had 1 expansion and even when I was a kid enjoying summer vacation and next to no personal responsibilities, I was never really able to "eat, sleep, and breathe" an MMORPG every day for months/years at a time, as much as I sometimes wished I could so I could have that bad-ass looking character standing around town in high-end gear (in EQ, not so much FFXIV). I always found myself drawn back to the single player games I enjoy because those actually "end" and I can feel a permanent sense of accomplishment from finishing them and not ever having to go back to "catch up", only maybe to revisit for nostalgia's sake.

[MrSmiley]

Waiting out rest of my sub, a couple more months than I think I am done. Worth noting, I have been subbed every single day of FFXIV, ever since 1.0, I have never unsubbed, this will be the first time I actually unsub the game. There is nothing to do, they patches are all the exact same thing, they add less and less glamour, more and more mogstation, new changes to make even the old stale things, like alliance raids rolls, even more annoying

Nothing new ever, nothing exciting, always changes these days to make it longer, not more fun or rewarding. MMO's all grind, but ffxiv is nothing but a boring grind after another, hell we only get 4 real raid fights every 6 months and 2-3 of them are throwaways. We are halfway through SB, and I am doing the same exact things, for little to no reward. It's just not fun anymore, and they are more intent on how to stuff more into mogstation than convince me to stay.

[Claviusnex]

.... At this point i'm just logging in once a week to enter my house so I don't lose it. Been mainly playing other games, but i'll probably come back for 4.3 at least for a little bit to play the story and do the new 24 man raid. After that who knows. I may just relinquish my house and unsub until the next expansion.

I'm in the same boat. Login to keep house and waiting to see how 4.3 turns out before deciding what to do. In the interim I've been playing ESO and while it has some things I don't care for there are many things I do (like housing and modern UI).

[Theodric]

Well, here's my reasoning:

- FFXIV is focusing more and more on glamour as the 'end game' yet it's pretty clear that there's an immense bias towards female characters at the expense of male characters despite the number of male characters being high.
- Eureka could and should have been so much more yet once again 'exciting new content' ends up revolving around the FATE system.
- The EU and NA community is effectively ignored. Key concerns and issues rarely get an official response.
- I'm not a fan of the paid advantages that come with the upcoming phone app. Especially with the implication that the currency associated with it will be used for more things in the future.
- Balmung feels 'different'. Far less players here are interested in the game as a whole...and even the RP community seems smaller and more closed off.
- Many people I know have just stopped logging in altogether.

[Aylis]

So for those with an active account but not playing ffxiv at the moment I ask: Why are you not playing this game?

It's okay with friends and after a few drinks, but outside those times it's a very dull, drab and boring experience game play wise and can be painful to look at sometimes for me.

[WellFooled]

The story, lore, visuals, music, etc are all amazingly well done and I will die on a hill defending the writing and localization of FFXIV, but these are the only elements keeping me subscribed. The actual gameplay of the game is lackluster.

• Every patch is the same tired formula. Next patch includes linear dungeon number 61, boss who repeats the same attack patterns in a circle shaped arena number 49, daily beast tribe number 11. I would love to see even tiny changes, like the daily quest faction not being beastmen or a trial boss in an interesting arena; let alone substantial changes to the content and formula.
• Such steep vertical progression makes me feel like my time and effort means nothing. Why should I struggle for the best gear when that same gear will be handed out like candy next patch, to be replaced by a new best gear? Likewise, every new piece of content (like those linear dungeons that get added every patch) replace what came before it instead of adding to it. So at the end of the day only one or two of those sixty some dungeons actual means anything, at least for the few weeks until it is replaced again.
• There is no gameplay customization. None. The stats in FFXIV are so boring that they aren't even a consideration to the average player, so there is no way to use stats to customize your character. I have never encountered another MMORPG with so little way to change the gameplay. There are no talent trees, no weapon enchantments, or gear with unique effects. I am identical to all other players.

[FelixDaCat]

I've just returned after not playing since March. I really didn't like Eureka that much and then FF managed to finally kill off my PS4. It would always cause the system to run it's fans at max RPM the whole time I was in game and it was really noisy, especially late at night when I would like to do random grinding. I treated myself to a PS4 Pro and I really wanted to play the game with the improved visuals and FPS.

[NebulaRose]

I've just returned last week to get my relic weapon done. I was playing ESO and having a blast, but I'm ready to come home to Eorzea.

[Cidel]

Worth noting, I have been subbed every single day of FFXIV, ever since 1.0, I have never unsubbed, this will be the first time I actually unsub the game...

I envy you for bringing yourself to do that. I'm in the same situation, but the sunk-cost has a pretty good grip on me. One part of me is just holding-out for upcoming things like the upcoming Frontline dailies (as bad/neglected as PvP is, it's like the one thing that isn't static/boring) or the next parts of Eureka and PotD and hope they somehow break up the monotony, but I really should've learned by now to not get my hopes up. The other part is held hostage by my personal house (I was stoked about getting one since like, even back in 1.2x when it was announced for ARR) that would likely make unsubbing and never looking back much easier should I lose/forfeit it

The content feels so stale and the gear treadmill is so aggressive that I'm just so apathetic to "new" patch details releases. Like, another trial/raid to run repeatedly ad nauseam where it feels like the real fight is against the competency/memorizing skills of your party members for drops that may not even appear for you (have mercy if you want the new EX mount) and/or for very temporary ilvl increases. Another dungeon to be tired of and an expert on running after the 2nd or 3rd time.

Just find myself logging on less and less. It's a shame, I still love the game's aesthetics and setting. They say "familiarity breeds contempt" and I don't think this has ever been more true. If "absence makes the heart grow fonder," yeah, maybe the personal house has to finally go...