A Lived in World?

[Absurdity]

Not sure I buy the whole QoL thing since GW2 is the counter example and is also quite high on QoL. Particularly if you include the teleports you can get from the cash shop. Id normally say it's unfair to include them BUT GW2 is a one time purchase unlike the sub to play FFXIV.

Which we already have those teleports in a way, and goes back around to my point that I don't buy that you can either have QoL or an interesting living world BECAUSE GW2 did both

Yes and no. GW2 has quality of life, in certain areas more than XIV does, but in other areas, mostly those affecting the content and gameplay, it basically tells you to suck it up.
Want a piece of ascended gear with some of the more rare affixes like Minstrel's (Toughness+Healing Power+Vitality+Concentration)? You better go out and do whatever obscure objective the game wants you to do.

It tells you to go out, explore the maps, and then rewards you for it.

But it doesn't just let you do everything while standing in Divinity's Reach all day.

XIV's quality of life features on the other hand often invalidate it's own content. Moogle tomes being the best example, they allow you to buy primal mounts, orchestrion rolls from treasure maps, minions, even gear, without ever touching the content these originally came from. Why would I bother farming ShB extremes when I'll just be able to buy the mounts next year by spamming Praetorium a few times?