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

[Kaurhz]

They wrecked the story after Endwalker, and it was at such a high point. It's pretty amusing how, once the story is criticized, everything else in the game falls apart.

I think it's just one of those... Breaking point situations... e.g., a person may be more than happy to ignore other flaws in a game and look on the overall product more favorably if something in the game is doing well that they like... In this discussion case, story for example... They may be willing to overlook issues with content if the story is good... Same vice versa..., some people may overlook an atrocious story if the gameplay is good....

It doesn't really surprise me, as the game has always been touted as having a really good story, so for me people reacting this way is very... on-brand.. I just see it as... Everything had been falling apart for a long time (A matter of opinion, obviously), but there's always been small little vestiges in the game that people have managed to hold onto... For some people that was story, for some other people it might be something as simple as deep dungeon, achievement hunting, or crafting.