Yoshi-P is still right about taking breaks to play other games

[Johners]

While this is a natural part of the content release cycle in any MMO, it's absolutely important to remind ourselves of Yoshi-P's own words regarding taking breaks from XIV if you're feeling burnt by the game... especially given the negative feedback regarding content such as the new relic "grind".

Yoshida "It's alright not to play it everyday. Since it's just a game, you can stop forcing yourself if it's hard on you to keep that up. Rather, it'll just pile up unnecessary stress if you limit yourself into playing just that one game since there are so many other games out there. So, do come back and play it to your heart's content when the major patch kicks in, then stop it to play other games before you got burnt out, and then come back for another major patch. This will actually make me happier, and in the end, I think this is the best solution I can answer for keeping your motivation up for the game."

Source of comment/translation: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...otivation_and/

I started FFXIV in April 2021 as part of the "WoW Exodus" and while I hear a simplified version of this Yoshi-P quote a lot, it's seemingly not something many XIV players actually do. This is not to say you have to like or dislike the game at any point in it's lifecycle but rather an observation that many XIV players are still seemingly doing the same thing WoW players did for years prior to Shadowlands, "hate playing".

There's various forum threads right now with feedback and complaints on various pieces of content in patch 6.35 and/or Endwalker's end game as a whole. There's too much to comment on in this one thread but what it does show is that much like WoW, there's a huge diversity within the player base in terms of content engagement/enjoyment without a way to really categorise them.

Whether or not you enjoy FFXIV in its current state is something that only you can determine but if you're not liking the game, leaving sooner is better than later. The game's design still allows you to everything (bar seasonal events) in the future.

More importantly, they're a business and not your friend. Square Enix (or any publisher for that matter) will respond to a 20% dip in player count and revenue more than they will a 20% increase in negative forum/social media posts. The 20% is an arbitrary number but you get the idea.

Finally, happy patch 6.35 everybody! If you're enjoying the game still, I'm happy for you. If you're not the game, I hope you find a game that does make you happy!

[TomsYoungerBro]

Also using Yoshi P's own words and literal presentation powerpoint he made: Players complaining/criticizing/offering feedback is a good thing because they still care.

[Raskbuck]

Untie the monthly sub from houses and FC Leadership, and I'd be happy to take a break until 7.0 or more.

Yoshida doesn't mind if you take a break, provided you maintain a constant subscription.

[ReynTime]

Yoshi-P may have this fine-tuned PR to make you think he's your gamer buddy. But at the end of the day he's a producer, and a businessman. He says that, but he doesn't want you unsubbing during the time you're not playing. If he wanted, the way house demolition works would be way different.
He's over 40 years old, he's got experience not only managing video games and MMORPGs, but also playing them. He's very well aware of 'sunk-cost fallacy' and he knows despite the flowery PR most people are not going to feel comfortable to stay out that long.
Don't think for a second he's saying this out of his kindness. It's just a different way to shrug at complaints of lack of content.

Also using Yoshi P's own words and literal presentation powerpoint he made: Players complaining/criticizing/offering feedback is a good thing because they still care.

You don't get it. That was back when he needed those players. Now the game and their ego got so big they can act dismissively towards complaints unless it blows out of proportion or someone with 100k+ followers questions them.

[Aexnidaral]

I'd be willing to take longer/more extended breaks if it didn't mean I'd lose my house lol

[Avoidy]

I'd be willing to take longer/more extended breaks if it didn't mean I'd lose my house lol

All by design.
Love how they turned off demolition because of a war and a pandemic, but now that the war's still going and the virus mutates every month SE arbitrarily decided to turn demo back on because uhh ummm *checks calendar* ah right, the WoW expansion dropped and wasn't complete dogshit.
I hope everyone notices that in Yoshi's quote he never tells people to unsubscribe. Merely to play other games. This quote is the politest way of saying "dude, get off my nuts and just play something else instead of expecting my live service that I'm billing you for to have content." In order for XIV to truly foster a healthy environment, a home should absolutely be a forever-thing, with instanced housing being standard like it is in 99% of games that do housing. But, oh. Look at what game I'm talking about. We'll never have instanced housing.

[remiff]

I'd be willing to take longer/more extended breaks if it didn't mean I'd lose my house lol

that's exactly the problem they should put the counter of the houses at 120 days,
Yoshida is absolutely right when he says that there are other games than final fantasy 14, but suddenly devs should increase the delay before losing the house to allow people to go elsewhere if they temporarily cannot find their fun on ff14.

[Raoabolic]

What, and miss out on this PvP season's battle bass rewards?
:^)

[Stormpeaks]

Does that mean you can unsubscribe then ? Oh wait you cant because then your house auto demolishes, so much for encouraging people to take breaks and play other games eh ?

[Jojoya]

Does that mean you can unsubscribe then ? Oh wait you cant because then your house auto demolishes, so much for encouraging people to take breaks and play other games eh ?

You can unsub for up to 45 days if you want. You're just limited on how long you can do it if you want to keep a house that you're not using while you're unsubbed instead of letting it go to another player that would be using it.

As you've pointed out in many threads in the housing subforum, it's easy to get a house right now so there's no need to worry if you do unsub longer and lose your house. Just put your furnishings into your inventory or your retainer inventory before you unsub then buy a new house when you return.

Yes, because of the sunk-cost fallacy. I can't let go of something that took me years to get, knowing that sometime down the line I may actually start to enjoy XIV again. It's just that simple, and SE plays into that predatory practice.

I will lose ownership of a built-up FC, Large FC House, Personal House. All because I didn't login for a month?

Then people want to say that Blizzard is more predatory, yeah with fun gameplay maybe. But this? This is actually taking my XIV SOCIAL life hostage in an MMO where everyone says the only thing that matters is the SOCIAL aspect of it. LOL

You may as well just delete my whole godamn character, if I'm gonna up and lose all that because my sub lapsed.

You're not going to lose any of those things just because you didn't log in for a month. That's only 30-31 days.

FC master isn't lost unless you haven't logged in for 35 days and can always be returned to you when you do log back in. The FC itself only auto-disbands if there are no other members that have been a part of the FC for at least 30 days. Houses do not auto-demolish unless the owner (or a FC member in the case of FC houses) do not enter the house for 45 days.

Take your month break without worry (unless you can't trust your other FC members, in which case why do you allow them to stay in your FC).