Island Sanctuary should be 61+ feature

[Puremallace]

So it is pretty obvious the only limitation of Island Sanctuaries is the server space it takes to run the system and cost associated with it.

It is a lvl 1 quest in Sharlayan that sends you to Moraby Drydocks. Either they are beta testing the system on end game players with the expectation of expanding it or they just could not think of a better place.

I think the best option would be to put it in Ishgard as a lvl 61 quest. This solves the issue of a bunch of f2p players taking up server space and brings it lower in level enough to give everyone the ability to access it.

In the long term forcing people to do what will end up being 400+ hours of MSQ just to access Islands after 6.0 Endwalker is pretty extreme for new people.

[GeminiReed]

I think the best option would be to put it in Ishgard as a lvl 61 quest. This solves the issue of a bunch of f2p players taking up server space and brings it lower in level enough to give everyone the ability to access it.

They already have the ability to gate features by expansion license. Can't be expansion races (Au Ra, Viera, Hrothgar) or use expansion jobs (SAM, RDM, etc.) without having the appropriate expansion tied to your account.

IMO unlocking it once you've completed ARR should be 'good enough' as long as you've registered EW particularly since you can completely solo the MSQ to that point thanks to Duty Support.

[Deveryn]

The quests are already written out and everything is set. The island's availability doesn't make sense earlier in the story. You'll get there before you know it.

[Opinionated]

In the long term forcing people to do what will end up being 400+ hours of MSQ just to access Islands after 6.0 Endwalker is pretty extreme for new people.

Isnt this the most common arguement against locking "more important" content such as raids and trials/dungeons behind the MSQ? (More important as in these are selling points in the MMO marketplace and FF14s competitors offer them too.)
Anyways, why does it have to be for new people? Why is it so insulting to you people that a new patch introduced post-expansion content? Why cant the new people do, I dont know.. the 400 hours of content you mentioned in your post? Why is island sanctuary something they absolutely must have early on?

New expansion = New content for people who have it. This is not a new concept.

[Raoabolic]

Isnt this the most common arguement against locking "more important" content such as raids and trials/dungeons behind the MSQ? (More important as in these are selling points in the MMO marketplace and FF14s competitors offer them too.)
Anyways, why does it have to be for new people? Why is it so insulting to you people that a new patch introduced post-expansion content? Why cant the new people do, I dont know.. the 400 hours of content you mentioned in your post? Why is island sanctuary something they absolutely must have early on?

New expansion = New content for people who have it. This is not a new concept.

*waves story skip potion for only [INSERT CURRENCY HERE]*
Eh? It's not a lot and it will get you closer to your amazing island that totally isn't full of timegates. :^)

[Seraphor]

It earns you endgame level gear (e.g. grade IX and X materia)
It's basically this expansions version of the Doman Reconstruction or Isgard Reconstruction and new Diadem.
Its locked behind the MSQ because it's current content.
It's that simple, there's nothing else to read into here.

[Illmaeran]

Its locked behind the MSQ because it's current content.
It's that simple, there's nothing else to read into here.

Quoted for emphasis and agreement.

[Irenia]

To be fair, Palace of the Dead was current content on release, and It did not require level 60 to get started. The fact that it gave access to level 60 stuff didn't matter.

Then again, it was back in Heavensward, and Heaven on High is expansion locked, so maybe they've moved on from making content that is useful for people both in current content at time of release and still catching up.

[Striker44]

To be fair, Palace of the Dead was current content on release, and It did not require level 60 to get started. The fact that it gave access to level 60 stuff didn't matter.

Then again, it was back in Heavensward, and Heaven on High is expansion locked, so maybe they've moved on from making content that is useful for people both in current content at time of release and still catching up.

But PotD was designed for the purpose of leveling alt jobs, so it makes sense that it would be available early on. Lorewise, it also needs only a minimal amount of progression that has likely already occurred by the time you reach the entrance for PotD anyway.

Island Sanctuaries are designed as endgame content providing endgame rewards. It doesn't make sense for that to be available at earlier levels.

[GeminiReed]

The quests are already written out and everything is set. The island's availability doesn't make sense earlier in the story. You'll get there before you know it.

B-but muh lore is one of the worst reasons to gate content especially when a studio uses homegrown IP. They have the ultimate flexibility to change things so nope, not an excuse.

It earns you endgame level gear (e.g. grade IX and X materia)

At this point I've got so much Arksadora Tribal currency I'm probably set until 7.0. If EW is anything like ShB you're absolutely flooded with materia.

It got so bad I'd just sell off the discretes (eg. Savage Aim VIII) and keep stacks of the current Cracked Whatsitclusters. Again this is something the studio has complete control over. Don't want new people to get materia they can't get yet? Switch it to something based on their current MSQ progression or just flat out don't offer it.