Option to unlock content without mandatory MSQ

[sauc]

Not at all, completely got that the first time around, but the other part of that statement was free, and that is the part that I feel would be detrimental to the character of the game.
There is no demonstrable need to "widen" or "expand" the playerbase by appealing to those who do not actually want to play a Final Fantasy MMO

Are you saying that people who play the game simply because it has the final fantasy name would quit in droves if it was optional? Seems like a rather petty reason. Even if it did I doubt it would make the number of people who quit greater than the number of people the game would keep thanks to the msq. I don't think it's a secret to anyone that the msq and the extremely slow combat at the start are huge player retention killers. Those 2 things are among the most repeated criticism of the game.

But as I said already: potion skip. That alone likely tilts the pros over cons to square. Well that and they are likely unable to change it even if they wanted to.