Mini-Expansions In-between Patches

[PatronasCharm]

So, we've all seen the FFXIV cycle with content and how its distributed between expansions, and here was a thought, something that FFXI did in between their patches, updating story content etc.

Why not have small expansions or add-on scenarios for every (.5) of an update cycle that explore different regions and maybe attach a Job to its lore, that are slightly fleshier than the update cycle:

• Outside the Final Fantasy XIV Story.

• Perhaps make it a Mini-Expansion worth 9.99-19.99 that adds content:
• new smaller region area
• expand on a side character's story
• or a beast-tribe local that expands on their lore

Then maybe add a Job in there that relates to the area being explored?

This could potentially add more revenue with could expand their FFXIV team to make even more content.

It was just a thought; not sure how realistic it could be seeing the age of FFXIV, and perhaps the future in sight is just a completely new game. But I enjoy FFXIV and as I played so long through FFXI, I would love to see them flesh out more areas and add more jobs.

[Singularity]

They do occasionally throw in extra sidequest chains to expand on the minor characters; the postmoogle quests being the primary example of this. We'll definitely never get a new job this way though. Job design is one of the most resource-intensive things the team does, and such a thing will probably always be reserved for expansions (maybe we'll see another 2.4-like affair but I wouldn't hold my breath).

[Vidu]

But... we're getting that in a sense? I havent played FFXI, so I dont know if you got "more" there than we do here, but except for having to pay extra for it (why would you want to do that?!?) I can see everything you mention within the patches. that act like tiny-mini-expansions themself:

- 4.2 added Eureka - thats an instance area, granted, but its still an entire new zone. We will be saying the next part of it in a few weeks.
- Beast Tribe Dailies, Custom Delivieres and now the Doman Enclave are telling new stories about the locals
- Hilldibrand expands on a NPCs lore - in HW we also had the Theologikum, aswell as the Doman refugee kids in Mor Dhona and that quest at the end that made you visit a lot of NPCs you meet throughout the expansion
- Rogue/Ninja was added with a patch (since then they've said they wont do that again because it was to stressful - remember that you cant just throw money at the devs to make stuff happen. Hiring for the team doesnt seem as easy, so there are limites to what they can and cant do with the current staff)

...I dont know - to me it feels we are getting "mini expansions" in the form of larger patches already (yes, I know, it feels like there is less and less content in those, but still...)

[Enkidoh]

FFXI didn't 'add mini-expansions between patches', for a period of several years there was no true expansion at all and just the 'add-on' packs (Crystalline Prophecy, Moogle Kupo-de-tat, and A Shantotto Ascension, plus the three Abyssea add-ons). It was an experiment by SE in possibilities for online delivery of expansions (specifically with FFXIV ironically which 1.0 was still in development at the time). As SE later returned to having a full expansion pack (Seekers of Adoulin), it's pretty clear SE themselves regarded the whole thing as a bit of a failure. So I don't see SE doing anything like that here with FFXIV ARR I'm afraid.

Especially as the 'add-ons' were not even cut down expansions, but just some story/battle content, which in a way we're already getting with existing content patches here in FFXIV anyway.