Quote Originally Posted by Enkidoh View Post
And, if FFXI is anything to go by, it also has to be remembered that MMORPGs are a dying industry, which was not the case back in 2005 when FFXIV's development first began - rather than make a sequel to FFXI they decided to make an entirely new FF MMORPG - FFXIV 1.0 was the result. And we all know how that turned out.
MMORPGs are a genre that's in hibernation. Yes, the "old style" MMORPG is definitely on its way out (thanks in large part to the obsession that high-dollar products had in aping WoW, rather than attempting to create their own, unique thing), but I refuse to believe that the basic premise (and promise) of the MMORPG - that of taking on a persona within a living world - is in anything but in its infancy. Ultimately, people want to play the role of the hero alongside their friends - it is, in many ways, the greatest expression of all adventure-style gaming. That impetus for development is not going to simply go away.