The Endwalker patch content has been a series of experiments (and that's ok)

[GypsumFantastic]

I appreciate the Endwalker patch content has been a little polarizing to a significant amount of the player base. A common thread I've seen in discussions is that the dev team need to take more risks, but when you consider the patch content they've iterated on over the 6.X series, it's clear they have been taking risks and experimenting for what comes next.

Across the patch content we have welcomed several brand new game modes and systems, as well as changes to how content rolls out and is presented. This time around, we received a self contained MSQ which incorporated the trial fights, rather than a separate trial series. This MSQ also ran the full span of patch cycle, unlike our usual X.3 split in the narrative. We also saw QoL updates to the game and it's UI, as well as new player improvements in the form of the duty support system.

In the 6.1 and 6.2 patches, we were introduced to several new game systems which were iterated on across the expansion, as well as general improvements:

The savage raid unlock was pushed out by a week as a trial and community feedback dictated that this change should become permanent.

Crystalline Conflict was introduced as a brand new game mode to improve the PVP offering, alongside a new rewards system. Over the course of the patch content we have seen new maps, changes to schedules, additional older PVP modes being updated and reintroduced where once dormant.

The controversial, but ultimately fairer Housing lottery system was introduced. Whilst this was buggy at launch it has provided a much neater way of dealing with housing sniping.

Data Center travel was introduced, which has improved grouping opportunities and opened up more means for social interaction.

Smaller changes like the Unending codex, gender lock removal, glamour plate increase were introduced.

Island sanctuary came in 6.2 as a brand new game mode for casual play. This has been iterated on across the expansion and the request for outdoor furniture placement was heard and later implemented.

The Relic Weapons launched with the controversial method of acquiring set to Tomestones, with no field content or grind associated to the process. Whilst this has been poorly received, the mountain of feedback no doubt received from the players will help determine how to handle future relics.

Variant and Criterion Dungeons were introduced as a new form of small group content for casual and hardcore players. It's recently been discussed in an interview that the rewards system is something the developers are looking at for future content.

Adventure Plates launched in a beta state and were tweaked across patch content.

In Endwalker we definitely received more experimental content, at the expense of what we'd usually come to expect, but another 10 years of predictable content isn't healthy for the game.

[Kyrj]

And unfortunately none of that had any staying power.

[Noumenon]

Only the PvP rework counts as a significant experiment.

You've listed all those so-called "experiments" but half of them are straightforward QoL adjustments and the other half are just new content.

By your logic, Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers are all experimental expansions.

[Theodric]

I actually quite like Crystalline Conflict. The matches are relatively quick but unlike with Frontlines I can't queue as a duo with my partner and so I just don't bother engaging with it any longer.

I wish the development team understood that not everyone wants to play this game as a mostly solo experience. You can talk to other players in Frontlines but not any ranked PvP modes which is a rather strange decision that further erodes opportunities to actually give clear, targeted tactical advice or just indulge a bit of friendly banter.

[BRVV]

The experiments:
No-rewards-criterion
Wintrade-CC
Spreadsheet-Island
Forgettable-DeepDungeon (funny how OP didn't mention it)
LastMinute-Relic
MSQMoved-Trial

Meanwhile Alliance and other Raids where unchanged, updates take longer, *insert all about Relics and Trials*, more ILevel Problems for content STILL CURRENT & add the save jobs that are just Shadowbringers 2.0. Idk if those experiments turned out well and i refuse to act like they were no sacrifices. They moved their ressources to features that did not have a playerbase yet. It remains to be seen how these features and new ones for DT will develop. Will we still get IS updates in DT? Maybe we shouldn't if almost no one cares.

[ShadowNyx3]

This reads like a press release. Hope you got paid for your corporate shilling OP.

[Boblawblah]

Will we still get IS updates in DT? Maybe we shouldn't if almost no one cares.

I'd love for IS to be expanded, but what I don't want is to have to follow someone else's spreadsheet. That or randomly choose things until I get the 'efficiency bonus' for each item. That said, I doubt they'll continue it, I have a feeling the outdoor furniture was a final 'there you go, you got "instanced housing". have fun' before leaving it to rot, but I'd gladly be surprised.

[Cyanamists]

Let's not forget the so called quality qol to UI were straight taken from mods in the first place. Timers under the party bar? Yep, banned A DSR world first raider who was using it only to add it in a patch later. Job icons? You betcha, mods first. Incoming damage types? Yessir.

I'll give them pushing savage out a week, that one they finally listened after years of asking for it.

We can call them experiments, sure, but they all fall on their face in one way or another, I just hope they don't double down on the failures in the future(copium) and actually improve on these systems. I did enjoy CC for a while, not as fun as rival wings on release because you can't queue with friends but it was decent.

[MuraBoy]

I agree that another 10 years of predictable content isn't healthy and that we had some experiments in EW (and some were amazing, like casual CC and Adventurer Plates)... but the problem was the result of these experiments: a lot of content without any longevity, Criterion without significant rewards, Spreadsheet Sanctuary, etc.

[ZephyrMenodora]

I think XIV always tried new things one could consider "experimental" - the difference why they feel more experimental now is because most of these feel like failures.

I obviously like XIV, but the new EW systems are mostly duds to me.

Only thing I really like are adventure plates.