The Lessons Not Learned.

[Midareyukki]

Didn't WoW also have at least one whole year where they didn't give it any updates? Yet here we get updates every few months with big and small sized content. Though I'm assuming they think that the dev team is capable of pumping out stuff at a faster rate and of similar quality. Oh wait I doubt they would be able to do so. Which would just get them grumbling about the quality. Part of the reason they pumped out so much during ARR was due to trying to make sure the game didn't die on relaunch.

We're on the system we have now and quality assurance has already been a point of contrition. I imagine it'd be quite worse if that came to pass.

Though question is how much of the team is still on board? Didn't a good handful of them start working on FF16? ...or are those people working on both titles at the same time?

pretty much this, they were on full damage control during those few years after 2.0 launch even when HW launched so they had to probably overwork themselves to the bone. Now that they've found their audience they're able to relax a bit and it clearly shows from their work schedule and how much Yoshida wants to prevent the team from burnout. The worst that can happen to them is getting so burnout that they lose the motivation to continue working on FFXIV. Anybody in the industry can tell you how easy it is to fall into that trap

On one hand, I think what most people need to understand is that FF14 has established itself as a "chill MMO". Where you come in, have fun, no one expects any more from you, vamoose to whatever else you wish to do.
Even for a marketing strategy, that's still a really good thing. You wouldn't hear those public stunt guys give out such a response. It worked for FF14 and that seems to match what the devs have in mind.

On the other hand, I was told that WoW had the mindset people accuse 14 of: cater too much to casuals and alienate their dedicated fanbase and then wonder why your game isn't too popular.

So there needs to be a balance, especially in an ongoing online game. You should make content that lasts, but also not feel pressured to pump out content every other week.

[TheMightyMollusk]

On the other hand, I was told that WoW had the mindset people accuse 14 of: cater too much to casuals and alienate their dedicated fanbase and then wonder why your game isn't too popular.

Depending on who's running the asylum for a given expansion, WoW swings wildly back and forth from that or catering only to the hardcore raiders and alienating everyone else. They've never really found a balance. The only thing everyone generally agrees on is that they're always neglecting someone.