A certain cutscene in Garlmald needs a trigger warning (MAJOR SPOILER WARNING)

[Doc_Seraph]

Kupo, we are playing a game where one goes around killing and destroying.. just saying.. <3 kupo

[Sclair0]

On the accessibility side of things. Might it be possible to create a setting which enables toggle-able content warnings and perhaps warns you at the start of an expansion to turn it on if you are sensitive to certain topics?

It's not something I'd ever use personally, but if some players want content warnings and other players dont that might be a way of pleasing both camps.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

FFXIV: A Realm Reborn.
Rated T for Teen by the ESRB for Violence, Blood, Sexual Themes, Partial Nudity, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco.

It doesn't Specifically name what your talking about, but you are made aware that there is Blood and Violence in this game. With that in mind, you should be mentally able to handle that in all shapes and sizes. If you need a trigger warning, you probly shouldn't play a Violent Videogame or watch Violent Content.
Because with these themes in mind, That Trigger can always be at risk of happening.

[Chyro]

// Vague spoilers regarding the final parts of the story

Idk. While I'm not that sensitive to it at the moment, I certainly noticed how the topic towards the end of the expansion could be really difficult for some people. If someone's in a bad place mentally and uses the game as a distraction or escape, being confronted with the questions that put them in that place may not be so good. They're the big questions of life, which don't really have an answer - but seeing the various answers presented at the end (especially last map and dungeon) I can't help but imagine someone going through that story and going deeper into their own depression. Sure the story is all about being that last hope that makes it through all that, to keep going and hold on. But I feel for someone in a bad place, it might be easy to tune that out and focus more on the parts that drag you deeper or make you question the point of your own existence.

Don't know if anything should be done about it in form of a content warning or similar. I just don't wish anyone to be drawn deeper into their own negative emotions by the game they love.

[Merrigan]

While I understand the problem of the OP, putting a trigger warning doesn't seem like a good idea.

As said above, we are not sure that it is a viable solution. But in general, I'm also afraid that this kind of request will make a game that is already too consensual even more sterile. By always wanting to spare the audience, we end up preventing the producers from thinking outside the box. And thus to produce scenes worthy of being retained.

I repeat myself: I understand very well the concern of the OP, and I do not minimize his problem at all. I would even agree with him if we could see the scene from start to finish (which is not the case IG). But as it is, I think we should be satisfied with the warning triggers already available in the game, without asking for more.

Finally: a small adjustment is possible when it has no impact on the game experience of the majority (example of the "sage" icon). On the other hand, putting a trigger warning at this precise place would be disturbing for the potential spoiler, and it doesn't seem justifiable to me to privilege a minority to the detriment of the majority's experience. Even if the bias may seem a bit harsh, it is impossible to take into account everyone's traumas, sensitivities and particularities.

[Bellegarde]

As said suicide by military standards is normal for about....2,000 years? Likely longer, so a trigger warning should never be put. The Military have used suicide across many cultures as a way to avoid shame and dishonour.
Suicide in the military is not uncommon.

[Hysorn]

// Vague spoilers regarding the final parts of the story

Idk. While I'm not that sensitive to it at the moment, I certainly noticed how the topic towards the end of the expansion could be really difficult for some people. If someone's in a bad place mentally and uses the game as a distraction or escape, being confronted with the questions that put them in that place may not be so good. They're the big questions of life, which don't really have an answer - but seeing the various answers presented at the end (especially last map and dungeon) I can't help but imagine someone going through that story and going deeper into their own depression. Sure the story is all about being that last hope that makes it through all that, to keep going and hold on. But I feel for someone in a bad place, it might be easy to tune that out and focus more on the parts that drag you deeper or make you question the point of your own existence.

Don't know if anything should be done about it in form of a content warning or similar. I just don't wish anyone to be drawn deeper into their own negative emotions by the game they love.

Hey, person that lost a mother this year, got really unlucky with some choice of friends and has been diagnosed with depression since 15 years of age though was showing signs since I was 13. My personal experience? It just talks about the stuff that I think to myself all the time, it never really made a difference to me, I guess in a way it makes it even harder for me to feel anything since in general I only really feel strong emotions during moments of true pain, like this Christmas, my very first without my mother. Then again, while I have suicidal thoughts quite often, the only things holding me back is saying to myself that my father, grandmother and sister still need me, seeing someone kill themselves in a movie or game never really affected me. FFXIV has been my distraction from life for about 2 months now, the only times I stop playing is when I go to the gym pretty much and even then I usually go once or twice because I really can't bring myself to leave home all that often, and while I leveled as DRK first, the way the story talked about death, loss, how our lives are truly meaningless and it's up to us to make sense of an otherwise worthless and empty existence feels bittersweet, Endwalker was very much the same.

Then again, these were my experiences, it has been ages since I truly felt any sort of strong emotion aside from sorrow from moments that I just can't hold it in anymore. Otherwise I am pretty apathetic to the world. So I don't know, I know I am hardly the only one that feels like this so trigger warnings for these kinds of things always felt silly to me, but then again, everyone deals with these stuff differently.

[Brennus]

I'm sorry you had a hard time with that scene with the Imperial Legatus. I think it was telegraphed pretty clearly, however, even as its impact was still pretty brutal. The whole Garlemald story section was dark and depressing, starting with the two sisters, even the "In from the cold" quest, and the ongoing pain and misery depicted by the refugee NPCs. I actually felt queasy at certain moments and wanted to get through the story as quickly as possible. I can see how the Legatus scene could have that effect on you. Unfortunately I don't think any further warning than the ESRB rating of the game will be forthcoming.

[HyoMinPark]

100% agree there are depictions in Endwalker that need content warnings. Even just little, 'This quest contains graphic content, please be advised' if you want to avoid offending people who "don't want any spoilers". But, mental health > your fantasy immersion, y'all. Some of the content in this storyline is really trigger heavy and definitely a little cringe to not see disclosed by the same team that took a phobia into account. This goes beyond, "It's violent."

Also, using the content ratings isn't an excuse. Not only are those done by a third party, but I've seen games disclose this topic, and I've seen other games fold it into "Violence." The ambiguity isn't helpful to anyone. Not to mention, there's content that isn't even particularly violent but still nihilistic enough to people who are vulnerable. And the one particularly graphic scene probably had to be edited quite a bit because it definitely toes the line of "Mature" when this game is "Teen."

Some of these quests absolutely need better disclosure.

I’m going to paraphrase what I saw someone else post about in another thread that was actually about this very same scene: if you need trigger warnings for content, then I don’t believe you are in a proper state of mind to consume said content. From either an emotional maturity level or an unsound/unstable emotional state—likely from lasting emotional scars and trauma that desperately need to be addressed by a professional before they fester any further.

Avoidance of a topic is not going to help you overcome it. Obviously, trauma should be spoken about on the terms of the one who is suffering from it—but putting in layer after layer of “protection” I find to be more detrimental in the long run. It conditions you to constantly fear these “triggers” rather than face them head-on; and I don’t think that helps you overcome them.

[KumaMamoru]

"the content may very well affect those struggling with poor mental health"

Gonna sound insensitive but people struggling with poor mental health should seek therapy and help instead of asking for trigger warnings. Nobody is responsible for your triggers.