I don't think the game's direction is sustainable anymore (ending spoilers)

[anhaato]

Through the years, this game has constantly ramped up in scale in numerous aspects.

Story wise, we started as a humble adventurer struggling to kill primals and now we're at the point of vanquishing an intergalactic monster intent on destroying all of existence. Anyone can see that the story has peaked at this point. After all, what's a bigger threat than something stronger than the god(s) that ruled our world? We just saved the universe... so where do we go from here? There's literally no possible threat that we can struggle to defeat, everything is beneath our scope. We even defeated Zenos, the only known being at our same level. Most of the ascians are dead, and those who remain are the sundered who no longer have a god to serve. But their story is done anyways, isn't it? The ascian threat is gone.

If anything Emet foreshadowed before the end carries any weight, it seems like they're going to attempt to wind things down back to a worldly scale, but how do you reconcile that after everything we've done? Will there even be any primal summonings? Will they reintroduce the ascians, or instroduce a new enemy force that functions similarly to them? Or is the solution just to keep trying to get bigger and badder threats somehow?

My point is: regardless of where the story goes, this will be seen as its highest peak, and it'll be controversial regardless. If the threats keep becoming greater, many of us will grow exhausted and find it contrived. If the threats become smaller, people will complain that it's boring. And should the threats be smaller, how will the story be compelling? How could we possibly struggle against anything? Primals are a joke to us now, only a god offers us a challenge.

At this point, anyone would assume that our character's story is over, yet the plan is to sustain the game for a couple more expansions at least. This worries me to say the very least. While I personally would love to go back to the scale of ARR-HW-SB, many people won't, and I realize that doing so will have narrative issues regardless. Is the only way to accomplish that through some sort of power level reset?

I guess we'll find out in 6.1 onward, but I can't say I'm not anxious. I don't want to see the game go downhill or become less loved.

[Haseno]

I think you undermine the creativity of the human mind. I could easily create a new story arc with a fulfilling purpose, and so can people at SE whose job is to do so.

[anhaato]

Beyond the story, from a gameplay standpoint it's getting a bit ridiculous. The new items being introduced are straining the engine so much they had to kill belts and hq gathering items to make space. Job changes are becoming strange and unnecessary, solving nonexistent problems and creating more instead. Stuff is harder to organize, and teleportation is becoming more expensive for "lore reasons," and beyond all that, the sheer amount of content to go through is both a blessing and a curse. The amount of main story required to reach endgame now is insane. But how do you fix that? Erase content people enjoy doing still? Abridge the story that leads up to now and make it potentially less interesting? I fear the game may be at the point of no return...

[Powercow]

You don't need constantly escalating stakes to tell a good story. A smaller-scale story about, say, Meracydia or the New World could still be super enjoyable. We've been to the First, but what about the others (that haven't already been Rejoined)? We know there's some effort being put into possibly trying to restore the Thirteenth, and there's even other stuff like the Ea they introduced that could prove interesting. Sure we're not saving the entire universe, but we can still save a continent, or a single city, and still find it fulfilling if we care about the people.

[Nekaru_Infitima]

Beyond the story, from a gameplay standpoint it's getting a bit ridiculous. The new items being introduced are straining the engine so much they had to kill belts and hq gathering items to make space. Job changes are becoming strange and unnecessary, solving nonexistent problems and creating more instead. Stuff is harder to organize, and teleportation is becoming more expensive for "lore reasons," and beyond all that, the sheer amount of content to go through is both a blessing and a curse. The amount of main story required to reach endgame now is insane. But how do you fix that? Erase content people enjoy doing still? Abridge the story that leads up to now and make it potentially less interesting? I fear the game may be at the point of no return...

You could possibply split the content here.

Those that want to know the Adventures of the WoL and the Ascians: Play these Expacs.
Those who don't care for that story but want [future story here] play these expacs, and start from here.

The only matter is level, maybe if they offered it a different path when you first start the game, like "Go to this MSQ or this MSQ."

Just a thought.

[anhaato]

You don't need constantly escalating stakes to tell a good story. A smaller-scale story about, say, Meracydia or the New World could still be super enjoyable. We've been to the First, but what about the others (that haven't already been Rejoined)? We know there's some effort being put into possibly trying to restore the Thirteenth, and there's even other stuff like the Ea they introduced that could prove interesting. Sure we're not saving the entire universe, but we can still save a continent, or a single city, and still find it fulfilling if we care about the people.

Oh believe me, I want smaller scale stories back so badly you don't understand. Going back to being a simple adventurer is what I want the most, but is it possible to "go back" now that we're the saviors of the universe? I hope it is... but it'll be controversial regardless. People won't be on board with it. I hope it ends well but I'm still afraid.

[Puremallace]

Emet listed like 6 things we are completely clueless about that each could be there own expansions ESPECIALLY including the other world stuff. Did people forget their is a literal world of void and cosmic horror that has been chilling there since ARR.

No Hydaelyn or Aether shield from Zodiark and I can tell you who is coming for dinner very soon. All that is going on now is the story is not about chasing Ascians or rejoinings anymore. It gives them far more freedom to not get caught in a repetitive pattern.

Rift another MMO got caught in a very predictable pattern where the expansions looked amazing but it was insanely predictable.

[Exosapien]

Did people forget their is a literal world of void and cosmic horror that has been chilling there since ARR.

Yeah, they *strongly suggested* that it will be future content at the end of the Shadowbringers role quests too.

There's so much for this world to be explored that after Endwalker I'm more excited for the future than I was before. All the things that Emet spoke about, and so much more. I also really liked what he said about The Twelve, gave a tiny bit more insight on what the alliance raid is going to be about.

[Puremallace]

Yeah, they *strongly suggested* that it will be future content at the end of the Shadowbringers role quests too.

There's so much for this world to be explored that after Endwalker I'm more excited for the future than I was before. All the things that Emet spoke about, and so much more. I also really liked what he said about The Twelve, gave a tiny bit more insight on what the alliance raid is going to be about.

What I want to know is why is the 12 based in the past. That sure as hell implies the 12 predates the Amaurotans and Emet knew about them.

[Exosapien]

What I want to know is why is the 12 based in the past. That sure as hell implies the 12 predates the Amaurotans and Emet knew about them.

I think it might be simpler than that, since he's been around basically forever anyway. But obviously I don't know either lol