What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[aveyond-dreams]

So, it sounds to me like we're in agreement. No castles needed for an FFXIV setting to be interesting--it's all about the people and the story that takes place there. If the Steppe is one of Stormblood's few crown jewels, there's no reason other unusual fantasy locales couldn't be as equally compelling.

No, but they sure do help. The simple fact of the matter is that it is easier to sell European/Asian fantasy games to the Final Fantasy audience than whatever falls under the umbrella you describe as "unusual fantasy locales."

You have to consider the target audience here. You will have an easier time retaining and attracting players by doing new takes on locations that people have consistently expressed interest in seeing as opposing to ticking off cultures and regions like a checklist to fit some sort of quota.

A castle in the sky surrounded by the clouds of the dawn or an imperial palace where cherry blossom petals drift on the wind will instantly draw more people in than a jungle in the New World or...whatever it is they have in Australia.

Blossoms floating in the wind in a palace and fantasy structures in the air aren’t unique to Asian or French locations, though. Radz-at-Han is positively stunning and still has that fantasy vibe. You may not like it personally, but I’ll choose it over the snoozer that is the more classical Labyrinthos.

Stunning is not the word I would use to describe the region of Thavnair in any weather outside the Final Days, but ok. A more consistent color scheme would have gone a long way towards making the region more tolerable to be in, but as it is now I do not linger there like I used to back when Eulmore was our endgame hub.

I have yet to meet anyone who is a fan of Labyrinthos, there isn't much of anything classical about it that I can remember. It was an underground complex full of trees and the spaceship. It is not a location that has much in the way of revistability or role play value aside from the unique circumstances that were introduced in the Shadowbringers MSQ.

Again, know your audience. The audience FFXIV tries to appeal to isn't nearly as excited for an African/New World/Austrailia expansion despite whatever "uniqueness" such settings bring. They can be 1 or maximum 2 zones per expansion, but I have to ask myself why I would spend time in those zones if I had the option to go hang out in worlds like that of Elden Ring? Or Valisthea when FFXVI comes out?

With various things competing for our attention, I'm sorry to say but I'm more interested in visiting Castle Sanbreque than I am about visiting FFXIV's New World.

I really would like a second Far East expansion with Nagxia and Hingashi being at the forefront if meant getting to spend more time with characters like Yugiri, Gosetsu, and the steppe Xaela...though I'm lacking ideas about what could possibly serve as a strong driving force to have us go there.

I'll do my best to provide one here:

I do not recall if Nagxia was based off any specific reason but if we assume it draws from China then I imagine a decent plot could revolve around restoring a monarchy there (if they ever had one?) based off the eastern principle of a mandate of Heaven wherefrom rulers of China derived the right to rule. While the leaders another nation want to establish a child puppet ruler in the region, the adventurer and their eastern allies embark on a task of uncovering the whereabouts of the trueborn heir of the previous dynasty.

In order to fulfill the mandate, you guide the heir on a journey of personal growth through battles against the enemy force while collecting the royal relics that were lost during the Garlean occupation. After a final battle in the sprawling complex of a "Forbidden City" like palace, you crown the heir as the son/daughter of Heaven, and peace is restored to the region.

[CrownySuccubus]

No, but they sure do help. The simple fact of the matter is that it is easier to sell European/Asian fantasy games to the Final Fantasy audience than whatever falls under the umbrella you describe as "unusual fantasy locales."

You have to consider the target audience here. You will have an easier time retaining and attracting players by doing new takes on locations that people have consistently expressed interest in seeing as opposing to ticking off cultures and regions like a checklist to fit some sort of quota.

Bruh, what?

Final Fantasy X, a FF game that was specifically modeled on far eastern cultures and aesthetics, is one of the highest-selling FF games ever. I don't think gamers are so simple that having one or two less European castles or aesthetics is going to lower sales. I don't even want to get into the "quota" thing, because that smells like politics waiting to happen.