Bad decision by SE

[Gemina]

Hmm I see it a bit differently Gemina, tho I get your point. I think in individual cases you have to judge based on their individual merit, and not automatically compile it with general issues. In this case, has SE been slacking and delaying a lot more often? If no, I can perfectly understand that yes, they probably have a solid reason if they are out of options this time, regardless of the general state of the gaming industry as a whole. Just like if I generally greatly enjoy someone’s service, I’ll not go look elsewhere if there is an issue once or twice that is understandable. They have earned my goodwill and trust.

Besides that I do have sympathy for the tribulations that come with Covid. A lot of companies have figured out ways to optimise some parts of the challenges it has brought, and some parts of it turned out to be even better with working at home for example. But some things simply do suffer from delays, because the element of the easy and quick communication that you have when you work next to each other, is hampered by the pandemic. While that’s hardly ‘new’ news, that doesn’t make it a less valid argument while it’s still ongoing.

If your angle is to be a bit forgiving if instances are kept at a minimum, I'm afraid that FFXIV and SE as a whole has a really bad history with not meeting deadlines, and pushing dates out. If this was the first or even second occurrence, I would be singing a different tune I assure you. However, I can admit that these kind of failures on a global scale and not just with the gaming industry has influenced my last couple of posts. I am one of many frustrated people out there, so I am not looking at things from an individual case.

I feel that the point has been breached where it is time for us to be done with being so complacent with providers. That we, all of us have been more than what's required to be considered patient with companies of many types and services. It is our money that fund these places, it is our voices that should be heard. A year ago, I was far more tolerant as a result of the bug and now successes have become so rare that they are seen as an exception rather than the rule. We're not progressing. We're not improving. We're not learning the lessons that are trying to be taught to us.

When delays like this become commonplace and accepted, what happens is that people start to become skeptical and question whether or not dates are being used to sell the product. The validity in that is entirely irrelevant. It doesn't need to be to do the damage. In short, the more you like FFXIV, the less accepting and accommodating you should be when this team fails to meet a commitment. I can't tell anyone how to feel, but those who are just livid about this news aren't getting any shame fingers pointed at them from me.

[Darkstride]

People are seriously being far too over dramatic about this..

I fully understand being upset and disappointed. However, I agree with the amount of overdramatic responses. There are so many acting as though this will set back their lives indefinitely. The game isn't going anywhere. Again, I understand why people want to binge it right at launch - I would too if I could. However, there are people responding as of they'll be so far behind if they can't finish the content in under a week that they'll never be able to get caught up. I say this as someone who works 10 hour days, 5 days a week and has additional responsibilities aside from work. I don't have a lot of free time, either. This is an inconvenience at most and is not the end of the world.

[Kaoru_Nagisa]

I also work retail, and I can barely get days off during the November-December stretch. I wasn't able to ask for a lot of time even back when they first announced the release date - just a day extra tacked onto my usual weekend, for Early Access release. I might be able to move that, at least, but I wasn't going to have a lot of time off for the game to begin with. Especially so when I booked a week off after Christmas for holiday extension + a much-needed mental health break.

I'm sad the release date got pushed back, as I don't think I've ever looked forward to an expansion this much - not even ShB had me this hype and excited and terrified. But I also fully understand why they felt they had to do this, and it clearly wasn't an easy decision. I've not seen Yoshi break down apologizing to players like that since the 1.0 days, and it was hard to watch. While I will hopefully be able to get plenty done on initial EA/Launch, I don't expect to have a lot of time or energy to play it after work until my week off after Christmas is over. It's disappointing, but not much can be done about it.

I don't want a repeat of Raubahn EX and the piss-poor launch state of SB as a whole, so they can take all the time they need. 2 weeks is certainly not as bad of a wait as 2 months would be.

[MacHorz]

"its okay a delay,so it will run smooth" common guys, I will take any bet that we get emergency maintances in pre-order-release time and after. So dont come up with that crap argument.

Second, i can understand OP, but in different. I took my last off-days for release and now have to check if I can switch and if nobody else at my work place has off days then.

Thank you!

[Stormfur]

I mean, I can't say I'm not disappointed, but at the same time, I'd rather them take some extra time to avoid stuff like Raubahn Ex Savage Ultimate from stormblood and things like that which gummed up the game (even when we had FAR less players than now!)

[Barristan]

"2 months I can agree with being a suitable delay, not 2 weeks.".

What the actual hell? You would rather wait 2 months, than 2 weeks for the expac to drop? What kind of mental gymnastics is this?

But going to your point, look at it this way, Blizzard dropped 9.1.5 on 11/2, this gives the WoW refugees a month to see that there isn't much content and they come back to XIV in time for Endwalker to drop. Everyone knows that BS was intentional on Blizzard's part, so SE is playing tit for tat.

[cactusbees]

I would rather have a fully working game, instead of something freezing up mid-patch. It's understandable and frustrating that this is happening during holiday black-out, but think about how much sweeter getting off of your shift to sink into your chair will be when you get home. It also says a lot about our current corporate workforce, but that's another rant for another board.

I'm also kind of glad for this delay, because now it won't be a huge interference between this and the KoF XV beta.

[Ayer2015]

When watching the Live Letter I felt bad for Yoshi, he clearly really cares and far more than I would if in his position. Delays happen all the time, and most would prefer a polished product. Also you have 3-4 months to complete all the content before 6.1, so there is plenty of time to enjoy the expansion at a slow pace whether you have time over the holidays or have to wait until the new year.

This is just a video game people.

[Lunalepsy]

It's just a private company. You cannot hold them accountable because of your personal choices.

[Nishira]

Yeah in that case I understand your conclusion Gemina It does seem a general issue with mmo’s that either they delay or on launch you end up in the ‘open beta test’, and if you’re particularly lucky you get both! Maybe deadlines simply don’t work well for mmo’s. I know from friends who work on the development of certain (non game) platforms that they run into very similar issues, just on a much smaller scale so in that sense it’s never a big surprise for me when game developers bump heads with their creations. I fully understand specific dates set up for expectations, and disappointment when they are not met. Maybe more vagueness would be better with large, creative projects like these? I have no idea.