What do you get out of XIV?

[Realism_Snide]

I've not been able to stop making characters and pick a main.!

You just answered your own question for yourself. What you get out of ffxiv is the enjoyment of creating and playing a variety of characters and going through the story with them.

[Barwara]

FFXIV has been a big help in keeping my spirits high while struggling to find a permanent job, being in a long distance relationship, and dealing with boredom born from having literally nothing to do other than take occasional walks because everything is permanently closed... The story is so, so good. I've recently concluded patch content of HW and I'm just filled with feelings. The game genuinely makes me so happy and the fact I can immerse myself in this story/world and forget about my daily problems is really cathartic. I just wished I had discovered the game earlier in 2020... XD

PS: The high level of customization and character design also makes it a nice tool of self-expression!

PPS: The game has also obliterated any will to develop other hobbies! XD

[ReynTime]

I'm not sure how to answer this. I feel like I like the game a bit less than I used to, but I enjoy the pve, and I feel like I won't have experienced all it has to offer to someone like me unless I play with more people, which is something I've been trying to do.
I don't care about house decorating, glamour, screenshot sharing, or minions. I just like there being pve content to clear with friends, stories to finish and grinding for gear/materials/gil.

[Mahoukenshi]

The story, the characters, the music, Twintania's NN chat (though not so much that I would fall into depression after in-game graduation from novice status). I treat XIV pretty much like a single-player game as the typical MMO activies like daily grinds lose their "fun" aspect really quickly for me. For better or worse, by the time I re-sub (like the time between 5.2 to current patch), I've forgotten how to play and level jobs for trusts usually by MSQ roulette. Nobody with a sane mind would want me as a healer in a random leveling dungeon, especially in some of the post 50 ones XD.

[xxmiamorecadenza]

Strangely enough. My daily dose of human interaction. I'm not super social irl, mostly because I get bored out of mind by face-to-face stuff if it's outside of work.

I have much more fun tackling content with people and talking loudly over Discord in comfortable clothing.