Thematic issues. Why all the sci fi.

[Gwenkatsu]

We should have a Limsan spacefleet full of robots, so the devs can finally achieve their gundam wet dreams they are so obviously holding back on.

It's finally time to hunt down that damned white robot space whale from dimension X that haunted us for so long! Arrrrr!
And we need laser swords. Lots of laser swords!

[CidHeiral]

I definitely prefer the medieval fantasy aesthetic over sci-fi but mixing the two isn't anything new to the series. Even FFIX which is pretty squarely in the former category ends up dabbling in sci-fi toward the end.

An MMO has to make new content for potentially decades so it's to be expected that they branch out eventually to keep things fresh. WoW has done exactly the same thing in the past. As long as they strike a balance between the sci-fi stuff and more low tech fantasy stuff I don't think it's a big deal. More than likely the next expansion will swing back to favor the latter.

[CalvinDescoles]

Medieval aesthetic and magik robot from outer space : ...

Modern aesthetic in heroic fantasy : *riot*

[ovIm]

Personally, the aesthetics of S9 (or Allag, or Garlemald, or the Moon, for that matter) don't exactly bother me. Love me a good fantasy style sci-fi mix.

Imho, what truly looks misplaced in this world is stuff like the current PVP season outfit, or the Fall Guys event equipment. Stuff that looks like it could have been ripped straight out of a current year fashion magazine. That breaks the visual style for me more than S9 could ever do.

[Hallarem]

I absolutely adore scifi. Especially when it doesnt fit with the vibe.
Its so artistic and brave. Revolutionary if I may say.
Honestly I think they should make every spaceship work with dynamis and some new spacefuel we mine from space.

I think fantasy is boring, I wanna see Estinien in jeans and a snap-back cap with some harajuku fashion in Solution 9.
Everyone honestly should wear regulators now, also maybe we could have energy swords and the force too. But we call it "Dynamis-push"

I honestly think its time for Hydaelyn to blow up and the rest of the story to take place in lile space fleets for every nation. It would be so COOL. Instead of aether the mechs could be our main combat tool. Please SE make it happen.

[Hallarem]

The more real life references. The better. I think Alphinaud should turn to the camera with his boyband kpop outfit, while riding his dynamis vespa like. "Hey, those Trump tariffs are crazy huh?"
I think its honestly time we also have a McRolands as well, with a drive thru in Limsa

[Brandr]

Name one Final Fantasy game, specially mainline which FFXIV is part of, that doesn't have sci-fi.
I'll be waiting.

[Daughterofdeath]

Name one Final Fantasy game, specially mainline which FFXIV is part of, that doesn't have sci-fi.
I'll be waiting.

depending on your defination ff1-ff3 rlly didnt and it 100% wasnt to the extreme levels of sci-fi nonsense until ff8 came out and then ff13 it went way to far

[Exmo]

depending on your defination ff1-ff3 rlly didnt and it 100% wasnt to the extreme levels of sci-fi nonsense until ff8 came out and then ff13 it went way to far

The first paragraph of FF3's story on Wikipedia:

One thousand years before the events in the game, on a floating continent hovering high above the surface of an unnamed planet, a technologically advanced civilization sought to harness the power of the four elemental crystals of light.

[Daughterofdeath]

The first paragraph of FF3's story on Wikipedia:

hints why i said depending on your defination, I mean technically sephiorth himself is sci-fi with alien dna creating him but to many people he isnt defined as sci-fi, same goes for ff9 zidanes/kuja home plantet on terra to many people it appears more like a demon world than a sci-fi plantet