How i kicked the habit (FFXIV).

[DixieBellOCE]

I just stopped logging in.

That was the secret to kicking the habit, to just walk away.

Years of pent up frustrations with the direction the game has taken, catering all content to people that want to turn XIV into IMVU, and don't want the be challenged by even the smallest difficulty.

It's been 3 weeks, i am a much happier person. I have explored multiple other games, even picked up some side games to play in the 6 months between content patches that XIV has.

Guild Wars 2, Fantastic MMO, the world actually feels alive, people constantly active in old and new zones alike, actual world content with rewards that makes it worth completing.

Diablo 4, Another good story, although post 70, the game is utter repetitive garbage and I've already stopped playing it at level 92. Hopefully seasons improve the game, or else that will just be dropped in general.

ARAM games with friends on LoL, nothing serious, just messing around having fun.

This is the true way to play XIV and remain happy with the game, and i finally understand that. NOT playing the game is the secret to enjoying the game over a long period of time.

For 9 years i have been blinded by the simple truth that XIV is not a main MMO. it is made to be played a few times per year, catching up with content and then moving back onto other games.

Thank you to whoever told me to go play other games, because XIV will not change regardless of how much feedback you throw at it, and coming to that realization has allowed me to move on and improved my mental health significantly.

[Boblawblah]

Good for you, that's a healthy attitude. This year is a great year to play other games as well! Lots of good ones coming out.

[AlexiaD]

I just stopped logging in.

That was the secret to kicking the habit, to just walk away.

Years of pent up frustrations with the direction the game has taken, catering all content to people that want to turn XIV into IMVU, and don't want the be challenged by even the smallest difficulty.

It's been 3 weeks, i am a much happier person. I have explored multiple other games, even picked up some side games to play in the 6 months between content patches that XIV has.

Guild Wars 2, Fantastic MMO, the world actually feels alive, people constantly active in old and new zones alike, actual world content with rewards that makes it worth completing.

Diablo 4, Another good story, although post 70, the game is utter repetitive garbage and I've already stopped playing it at level 92. Hopefully seasons improve the game, or else that will just be dropped in general.

ARAM games with friends on LoL, nothing serious, just messing around having fun.

This is the true way to play XIV and remain happy with the game, and i finally understand that. NOT playing the game is the secret to enjoying the game over a long period of time.

For 9 years i have been blinded by the simple truth that XIV is not a main MMO. it is made to be played a few times per year, catching up with content and then moving back onto other games.

Thank you to whoever told me to go play other games, because XIV will not change regardless of how much feedback you throw at it, and coming to that realization has allowed me to move on and improved my mental health significantly.

As much as I agree with your entire post, I think this part right there is a bit disingenuous, not on your part but on SE's part, simply because auto demolition for houses exists.

edited my post for typo

[DixieBellOCE]

Good for you, that's a healthy attitude. This year is a great year to play other games as well! Lots of good ones coming out.

Thanks, i've been extremely bitter with the game since the launch of Endwalker (And especially the oceanic server release), and it's been a breathe of fresh air to just go out and explore other games.

[DixieBellOCE]

As much as I agree with your entire thread, I think this part right there is a bit disingenuous, not on your part but on SE's part, simply because auto demolition for houses exists.

I couldn't care less for my house at this point, I've given up 3 large houses this year just moving around datacenters trying to keep the game feeling fresh.

Housing is pretty stale as it is.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

Thank you to whoever told me to go play other games, because XIV will not change regardless of how much feedback you throw at it, and coming to that realization has allowed me to move on and improved my mental health significantly.

YoshiP: You're Welcome.

Honestly, no game should ever be "Your Main Game"
It shelters you from experiencing other games, and after a while, you will get burned out. Its always good to diversify, and take breaks.
Also..and Ive said this a few times...if the game stops being fun...Bye. Dont feel Shackled to a game, and dont rationalize reasons to stay.

Hope you keep living the Happy life.

[Shougun]

From reading a lot of responses, and a bit of assuming, I think the common issue isn't really content difficulty, people reference things that don't really jive with difficulty, and to that FFXIV does have difficult content- I wish people would explore better that part of their complaints... because it seems like misleading messaging. For example GW2 and D4 are not really difficult either, especially the things I frequently see people complement specifically GW2 are not things that are challenging.

Most often it seems the real issue is a compelling and grounding world space enforced by activities of that world space, the more similar jobs become and rigid structure of FFXIV wears some people down over time and not really "not enough hard content". Of course dungeons are not particularly hard, but they're not really that hard in GW2 either lol, nor D4 to be honest (unless you're over reaching or doing explicitly hard content in those games, but you could do that here too).

Just noting a consistent apparent miss allocation of issues, imo. Reading what people say doesn't appear to be their primary issue, especially helpful to identify when people reference things they do like which helps, imo, demonstrate "challenge" specifically isn't really the core issue. Part of that not only being grounded content, which I feel FFXIV has always had a bit of a struggle with (and part of a constant feedback I have), but also age with the game. Familiarity easily breeds contempt. WoW has had other missteps but I believe people trying to make it their forever game where the game must be a fresh breath of air yet similar enough to what they like leaves an increasingly impossible jump rope limbo (another reason why I take breaks, keep it from being too 'same same').

That said I'm glad you're finding things that are enjoyable, no one should be frustrated doing something that is meant to be fun (post isn't meant to be "where's mah gil", just noting that when you get comparative examples of things that are 'scratching the itch', especially when people start to point out specifics elements of that thing, "difficulty" doesn't actually appear to be a significant component of the problem). Personally, when big games come out I take longer breaks from FFXIV. Took a small one with D4, waiting for the season before investing too much time again (for effective use of time), FFXVI, Armored Core 6, and Starfield are going to take my time and beat it up in the back. Sleep is going to be limited as I try to juggle the squares of life lol.

[VelKallor]

and don't want the be challenged by even the smallest difficulty.

[Boblawblah]

[VelKallor]

I have no intention, Bob, just an overall sigh at the same tired, silly old meme.