If you're unhappy with this game then unsub... forever.

[Clover_Blake]

I do not care what he says, because they explicitly design the game in ways that prevent you from taking breaks. So he's pretty much just lying for free PR.

What ways? I can only think of housing, but you can simply get an apartment if you aren't planning to play much.

[Rolder50]

What ways? I can only think of housing, but you can simply get an apartment if you aren't planning to play much.

The entire housing system as mentioned. Apartments are not a replacement for real housing.

Seasonal event items not being re-earnable in game when the seasonal event comes around again.

Tomestone / loot weekly lockouts.

.x5 patches always being 1 or 2 months after the main patch for no good reason.

Island Sanctuary leveling is time gated and can't be planned out more then two weeks in advance.

Relic weapons, for some reason, are always half way into the expansion rather then be there at / near launch.

And that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

[Reinha]

I do not care what he says, because they explicitly design the game in ways that prevent you from taking breaks. So he's pretty much just lying for free PR.

The entire housing system as mentioned. Apartments are not a replacement for real housing.

Seasonal event items not being re-earnable in game when the seasonal event comes around again.

Tomestone / loot weekly lockouts.

.x5 patches always being 1 or 2 months after the main patch for no good reason.

Island Sanctuary leveling is time gated and can't be planned out more then two weeks in advance.

Relic weapons, for some reason, are always half way into the expansion rather then be there at / near launch.

And that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

An offline character doesn't need the newest gear. There is catch up gear in every patch and if someone wants the previous gear for glamour it's still there. X.X5 patches have content that one can do when they come back. Island Sanctuary xp is not time gated, you can earn as much as you want. Players who take breaks can complete relics when they return to the game. It's very much possible to resub in X.55 and complete everything that's been released by that point. Getting the newest loot and experiencing content when it's new are rewards for staying subscribed throughout the year, but not required.

Housing and seasonal events are the only FOMO things you mentioned that prevent people from taking breaks, and with the amount of hate seasonal events get sometimes you arguably don't lose much there either.