Ultimate hiatus feedback

[kirigawa]

Nothing but agreements here. As a further proof of that content being really good for the health of the game i've pulled the Twitch numbers for the past year (Stormblood's release date) and you can see that the highest viewer spikes corelates to the release of patches and ultimate fights.

[shepardcommander]

I've never entered UCOB or UWU a single time, yet I love that its in the game. Aside from having a lot of fun watching streams in the background at work and keeping up with the race, it enables a more fine tuned spectrum of content to help more players find their niche in the game. The more players who find a niche, the better the whole ecosystem/economy operates. I've been playing the game since 1.0 days and the UCOB to UWU stretch of time is the healthiest I've ever seen the game. More people are active for longer stretches of time. All in game activity has markedly increased. Without Ultimate in 4.5, a critical piece will be missing from what we've had for the majority of Stormblood, and a huge section of the game that's been active and generating a lot of excitement will be gone.

I remember the stretch of time between 2.5 and 3.0, as well as between 3.5 and 4.0. Those periods of time have been amongst the WORST for in game activity and fun. Because its not the normal 3 and a half months between patches and more like a five month break, the boredom and lack of fresh content really took its toll. the 24-person raid's final entry isn't enough to capture folks' interest for more than a week or two, same with the ex primal. Stretching out the main scenario over X.51 and X.55 patches doesn't really do much either because its a pretty naked attempt to just arbitrarily prolong things to make it seem like we're getting regular updates leading into the expansion. Even big streamers and content creators stopped paying much attention to the game. That's a critical time for the game because its the lead up to a new expansion. A company's best marketing is positive word of mouth from current players, and in both pre-expansion doldrums you'd see and hear a lot of "its boring, don't come back right now, there's nothing new to do. There's no point in gearing up any more. There's no challenging, new, or interesting content to do. come back like a week before expansion to slog through the main scenario quests."

That's not great marketing, and that is not a healthy MMO environment. Having an Ultimate in 4.5 would flip that script on its head. A few months before expansion you'd have fresh excitement generated for the game, streamers get active, and potentially new players have a lot of things visible for them to imagine themselves doing one day. The more players in the game doing Ultimate and other stuff the more people that are populating roulettes and wonderous tails and party finders and hunts and treasure maps and keeping that older content a bit more relevant for the new players I presume SE wants to get. I thought we would get that, and I'm really disappointed the dev team reversed course. I think they will miss a really major opportunity to do a lot for excitement in the game leading up to the next expansion. I hope the post these folks worked on garners some attention and hopefully effects some change, or at the very minimum some more information into why this decision was made or what plans the dev team has in store to keep the game interesting and feeling updated for that inevitably long stretch between 4.5 and 5.0 beyond the final ivalice entry or the final four lords ex trial.

[aesteval]

Random thought that popped into my head (not directed at anyone.) All the recent discussion about run / clear selling leaves me pondering if there could be ulterior motive in supporting this sort of content / having a desire to keep its challenge intact.

Don't get me wrong, I support the content and keeping it challenging and I don't have any ulterior motive. But I have to admit, I can't help but have colored ponderings given recent discussions about the game and run selling.

Again, not directed at anyone. I don't know anyone in here or anything about any of you. But, it makes me wonder.

[DarthXelion]

Correct me if im wrong but, Isn't the Dengeki interview saying they are taking a hiatus from Ultimate in 4.5 a mistranslation? Cause in the Famitsu interview Yoshida says they have not even thought about what the next ultimate encounter is going to be, That they only had 3 Devs who were up to the task of making Ultimate, and the Dev incharge of the next ultimate would have to start from scratch.

If it wasn't mistranslated please please pleeeeeeease make a 4.5 ultimate.

[Erikaa]

I strongly urge the team to reconsider this decision. Ultimate raids have consistently brought out very creative mechanics, impeccable design, and some of the most fun I've had in any video game. I think I echo a lot of people when I say Ultimate raids are probably the most engaging content in the game.

Having to slog through the lull between expansions has always been tedious, with us having to wait significantly more time for any new content. Something like an Ultimate raid in this time period would certainly keep a lot of players busy, happy, and satisfied.

[MrPappose]

I unsubbed during 3.5 due to a lack of content, having an ultimate be released for 4.5 would guarantee a sub from me, along with a bucket load of fantasia that I buy when im playing this game, think of the ££££ SE.

Platinum Disco

[Divinewindx]

I agree as well!

[Tronedile]

I've been a long time fan of raiding in various MMO's and Ultimate is no exception. I enjoy the mix between time commitment, difficulty and enjoyment i've gotten from UcoB and TWRU and learning that there won't be a new Ultimate raid tier in 4.5 is really disheartening.

[Trixxy]

"SE please give us more difficult content to sell, I need to feed myself and my family."

[dayumitsfoxxy]

Pretty much agreed with most things said in this Thread.
As a Player & Viewer I would be extremly sad to not see a 3rd Addition made in Stomblood as this content is really entertaining to watch & attempt. Without it I am not sure i would continue my sub after 4.4.