Ranked is only for Diamond+ level players now

[Sinstrel]

PS: by the way is ranked more popular in JP?

The culture of the Eastern playerbase often puts the group before the self. This leads to players generally doing their best to be prepared before joining challenging content to avoid shaming themselves -- which then contributes to a more structured group experience (in all aspects of the game).

The JPN servers may also be more concentrated than western servers which probably contributes to larger player pools in the que. Combining all NA data centers for matchmaking purposes only (DC's still seperate outside of duty finder) could probably help ques pop in all aspects of the game.

[Eisi]

Thanks for the answer!

Would you agree with me if I said that JP uses rewards more as excuses to play content while NA uses content as a means to get rewards? So different culturally informed incentives?

Or would that be a stupid statement?

[Post]

I'm right with ya. I think CC's super fun, and I'm always a bit bummed whenever I feel like playing ranked that I can't, especially if I didn't get up to the try-hards' range early enough in the season. I think it'd help if they got rid of unranked at some point. Include some things to make it as painless for players to try as possible, like an option to hide rank from themselves/others, give an option to try other jobs at different ranks and maybe used special events to get people 'over the hump' of the initial steeper learning curve and social pressure, like mogtomes get Rival Wings popping.

Thanks for the answer!

Would you agree with me if I said that JP uses rewards more as excuses to play content while NA uses content as a means to get rewards? So different culturally informed incentives?

Or would that be a stupid statement?

JP players also tend to play something just because it's there, but not out of like some kind of "humanity climbed Mt Everest because it's there", more of a "the chef made the meal for you this way, so it'd be rude to add salt without at least giving it an honest try" way.

This is kinda bull because people are people and we're all different, but that's sort of another aspect of their culture. Ranked is probably mostly more popular there just because they're all concentrated in the same time zone with similar schedules and (completely guessing at this point) possibly fewer competitors appealing the broader marketplace of folks interested in this sort of game on the magnitude of FFXIV.