This is who we are. I am proud of you all.

[KizuyaKatogami]

I also just think that FFXIV is '' too Japanese '' for the average joe, the amount of people that are judgemental and have very extreme reactions against anything '' not Western '' shouldn't be underestimated.
Quite frankly I think that people in general are pretty uptight and shallow, and I think that really shows in the best selling titles and how many incredible games don't sell anywhere near as well because they're not '' realistic ''.
Like the average joe is someone who can't or refuses to take Nier Automata seriously because 2B has a butt, good luck getting them to give FFXIV a chance let alone actually stick with it.

Warcraft is obviously pretty cartoony, but the overall tone and presentation is a lot more Western where everyting is McSeriousface so when a Miqo'Te runs up on screen or a character isn't a big burly sad/ angry dad man in beefy armor they just can't take it seriously and often can't get over it.
Even someone like Zepla said herself that she was kinda like that at first too but got over it, but I think she's the exception really and not the norm.

Tbh i dont exactly blame them for this. Arr,HW, and even SB were fairly dark, had serous themes, and was pretty engaging and realistic. It isnt until shb where that kind of changed and things have become pretty cartoony and slice of life anime-like. I think its why a lot of wow vets who come over might enjoy the story of the other expansions, but once they get to shb that might change. Even as someone whos played this game for years its starting to lose its polish for me with the way things are done. I hope it changes in 6.0 but idk.

[Larirawiel]

I just hope some other game comes along to create competition for 14. It’s a common trend that when there is none, game devs get lazy and try to get away with less effort. Considering how accepting this community is about…basically anything the 14 devs do, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Not game devs become lazy. Steve Jobs has a nice interview about that thing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4VBqTViEx4


Cheers

[TaleraRistain]

Wow, that was incredibly wholesome.

[Almagnus1]

Tbh i dont exactly blame them for this. Arr,HW, and even SB were fairly dark, had serous themes, and was pretty engaging and realistic. It isnt until shb where that kind of changed and things have become pretty cartoony and slice of life anime-like. I think its why a lot of wow vets who come over might enjoy the story of the other expansions, but once they get to shb that might change. Even as someone whos played this game for years its starting to lose its polish for me with the way things are done. I hope it changes in 6.0 but idk.

Part of this is you can't be dark and serious 24/7, so you need the levity so you don't just burn people out from the nihilism.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Part of this is you can't be dark and serious 24/7, so you need the levity so you don't just burn people out from the nihilism.

It worked for arr hw and sb though. I mean, when you advertise a game as dark and gritty, you expect dark and gritty. Theres a fine line between not being dark and serious 24/7, but also knowing the perfect time to be and when to utilize it. It seems like 14 has lost that compared to how it was in the other expansions.

Not game devs become lazy. Steve Jobs has a nice interview about that thing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4VBqTViEx4


Cheers

Wow, this makes a lot more sense now. He actually explains that really well, but also i feel like im starting to see signs of that already. With the sales and marketing team running the company. It makes sense to me now lol.

[Vahlnir]

It worked for arr hw and sb though. I mean, when you advertise a game as dark and gritty, you expect dark and gritty. Theres a fine line between not being dark and serious 24/7, but also knowing the perfect time to be and when to utilize it. It seems like 14 has lost that compared to how it was in the other expansions.

None of those were dark and gritty every step of the way. There were a ton of moments in between the dark and gritty ones that were more light hearted. I really do wonder if we're playing two different games at this point.

[KizuyaKatogami]

None of those were dark and gritty every step of the way. There were a ton of moments in between the dark and gritty ones that were more light hearted. I really do wonder if we're playing two different games at this point.

They had a proper balance. The story held consequences for both protagonists and antagonists alike. While there were light hearted moments they were done at proper times so as to not interrupt the flow of the story. Shb doesnt do this very well imo.

[TaleraRistain]

It worked for arr hw and sb though. I mean, when you advertise a game as dark and gritty, you expect dark and gritty.

Where have they advertised this game as dark and gritty? It's a pretty typical JRPG which runs the gamut from serious themes to cloud cuckoolander situations. I think dark and gritty, I think Frank Miller comics or something.

[Vahlnir]

They had a proper balance. The story held consequences for both protagonists and antagonists alike. While there were light hearted moments they were done at proper times so as to not interrupt the flow of the story. Shb doesnt do this very well imo.

Not really. The story has always suffered from a lack of any real consequence outside of a few side characters, at least one of which never got any actual character development and another having had their death reversed. Shadowbringers didn't suddenly ruin things.

Where have they advertised this game as dark and gritty?

They never have so I'm really not sure what they are going on about.

[Sotaris]

No idea who this guy is either, but it appears he has quite the following as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdlM6YF-ctc

Not surprised, iirc he own a twitch house that is associated with some big twitch streamers.