Ok, lets do it, WHAT is wrong with this game?

[polyphonica]

Honestly, I think the main problem is just that the honeymoon is over for a lot of people. After ARR everyone was riding on a high seeing that the game recovered and became so successful. And with HW having such a well-received story and production, people were still feeling really great. But, as years pass, the excitement is starting to wear off, and the little annoyances are starting to grow into big annoyances as the game doesn't change. The staff also began to get more comfortable/practiced in following the "same-old pattern" which people were starting to get bored of. So now people are wanting something new/exciting to "spice things up," or else they start "cheating" on FFXIV with other games and finding they actually like what they find and maybe don't want to come back.

Truthfully I am not sure to what degree this cycle would have been prevented no matter what -- it certainly happened with many other MMOs. Objectively speaking, SE probably anticipated this long ago, and any dip in sub numbers is probably in line with their projections. (In their recent earnings, they even called out FFXIV as a strength despite otherwise weak results in that division.) But it would probably help, at least in terms of the tone of their communications, if they focused a bit more on trying to "win back" those on the edge. More than anything, I think people want to feel like SE is constantly fighting for their approval/attention (constantly trying to "woo" them like the old days), and isn't just resting on their laurels and taking them for granted.