Face it, this game is in maintenance mode now, i.e. managed decline

[Carin-Eri]

Managed decline seems pretty close to me. Like it's definitely going downwards.

Not sure if it's, as you say, managed decline, or simply SE being insouciant regarding the game's current 'health'.

[BigCheez]

Managed decline seems pretty close to me. Like it's definitely going downwards.

I don't think it's intention. I think corporate SE's point of view was that FFXIV is doing well, therefore CBU3 doesn't need a lot of resources, while the offline and mobile games divisions are underperforming, therefore they need a bunch of money pumped into them.

Hopefully the decline will help them realise that maybe the continued success of their flagship product is something worth investing in.

[Jeeqbit]

I don't think it's intention.

It's clearly not their intention. It's just happening anyway because their decisions (or execution of said decisions) are leading people to be unhappy.

For example:

• Many people are unhappy with the job design since prior to 7.0, yet addressing it has been put off until 8.0.
• The focus is almost entirely on the next patch, leaving almost everything else ignored and forgotten, except highly specific things such as the graphics update or dungeon revamps, while the mobile version routinely improves past content and quality of life issues across the board. Yet, a lot of complaints pertain to past systems that have been abandoned and not improved, ever.
• When issues are addressed it's often not sufficient ie. account privacy, housing.
• Content is formulaic and scripted, so a lot of people do it once and then feel there is no content left, as opposed to it being different (and fun) every time like PvP. Most systems aren't made to create dynamic experiences, so people get bored of repeating the exact same thing. This is not just the case with battles, but also things like Island Sanctuary. What past MMORPGs excelled at was creating dynamic experiences.
• Even casual players like dynamic systems and PvP in any MMORPG is an easy example of that.

Hopefully the decline will help them realise that maybe the continued success of their flagship product is something worth investing in.

Yoshi-P actually just said at the Anime Expo "even if we were to double our number of developers, I don't think we'd necessarily be able to double our output while trying to maintain the same level of quality."

[Volgia]

I don't think it's intention. I think corporate SE's point of view was that FFXIV is doing well, therefore CBU3 doesn't need a lot of resources, while the offline and mobile games divisions are underperforming, therefore they need a bunch of money pumped into them.

Hopefully the decline will help them realise that maybe the continued success of their flagship product is something worth investing in.

They have invested in it, with the massive graphical overhaul, with making everything soloable with trusts, that must not have been cheap...

I'm not sure I buy that they're using the revenue money from subs and sales of FFXIV to reinvest in other projects. I'm not an economist but from what I understand big investment require outside funding (FF16 and FF7R had an exclusivity deal with Sony precisely because of this) and FFXIV isn't gonna bring them massive revenue to justify that, even if you brought everyone back and made every single lil' warrior of light happy. It's their projected profit thing that ends up being the problem (to this and any gaming company), there's just not enough MMO players to satisfy their insane greed.

I remember on FF7Remake and Rebirth sold out, but it didn't meet Square Enix sales expectations, despite it being PS5-Only and at that point they were just angry people didn't buy the game 3 times to meet the expectations.

[Carin-Eri]

I don't think it's intention. I think corporate SE's point of view was that FFXIV is doing well, therefore CBU3 doesn't need a lot of resources, while the offline and mobile games divisions are underperforming, therefore they need a bunch of money pumped into them.

Hopefully the decline will help them realise that maybe the continued success of their flagship product is something worth investing in.

Doubtful, as things stand.

Apologies if you've already seen this, but this was Square Enix President Kiryu's take on the situation, when asked to address it at the very recent shareholder's meeting:


I can't help but find this response laughable; it basically amounts to "We're aware of this problem but the experience that our overworked FFXIV producer is gaining through working on games that are not FFXIV will make everything better for FFXIV".
Completely tone-deaf.

[0blivion]

snip

I don't disagree, but I feel the need to post SE's "clarification", because it's hilarious.



src: https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/i...rsmeeting.html

lol

[AlucaDragonheart]

I can't help but find this response laughable; it basically amounts to "We're aware of this problem but the experience that our overworked FFXIV producer is gaining through working on games that are not FFXIV will make everything better for FFXIV".
Completely tone-deaf.

The funny thing is, that he actually brought his experience with FF14 over to other games too (FF16), because that game suffers from the same thing this one does, terrible pacing, samey combat, and a huge but barren world with not much to do or interact with.

[CapaxInfiniti]

The funny thing is, that he actually brought his experience with FF14 over to other games too (FF16), because that game suffers from the same thing this one does, terrible pacing, samey combat, and a huge but barren world with not much to do or interact with.

I like how so many people ignore this.
The problem with this game is very clear to see when you look at the other game also made by the same person and it suffers the same problems.

Almost like both of them have something in common....

[Volgia]

I think the problem iis that Square Enix, see the game as a stagnant venture capital problem. Even if you could amass every single MMO player into FFXIV, it wouldn't be enough for the profiteering seeking executive and investor who needs just infinite growth and money, so instead of reinforcing the game to keep the people who like it inhabit it, they need to "innovate" and create mass appeal so the continue promise of neverending growth exists.

I've seen it time and time again, in an attempt to appeal to players outside the genre they dumb it down, they get a massive short-term income from new players who eventually grow bored and leave because this isn't the type of games they like to play, and the game enters a crisis mode.

It happened to WoW and GW2 and other MMOs who did not survive this cycle like Wildstar.

[Mawlzy]

Not sure if it's, as you say, managed decline, or simply SE being insouciant regarding the game's current 'health'.

I think the problem is that Square Enix, see the game as a stagnant venture capital problem.

Perhaps at the intersection of insouciance and corporate finance we have a wilting daffodil.

A game developed with the passion of Wordsworth...

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Decays into a tabloid summary...

I walked around a bit.
On my own.
There were some plants.