FF14 player count reached the lowest point in 4 years. We lost 75% of the playerbase.

[Nyastra]

Your friends can play with you just fine even if you can't access all the content they can do yet. They can always do your content with you while you unlock more.

I'm also guessing these friends just don't feel like it? Cause (now I'm fully aware I have more will-power than some) but I literally started a whole new character to play alongside my fiance. Now I'm not saying everyone should do that (Lord knows ARR is a slog) but aside from that, I had max level players who guided me when I started playing, whenever I unlocked a duty, they took me through it. Synced. Of course there's things you can't do at the moment, but all things considered, it's not that bad.

[syldon]

Your friends can play with you just fine even if you can't access all the content they can do yet. They can always do your content with you while you unlock more.

90% or more of the MSQ are postman quests. Go talk to me over there and come back here to talk me straight after. Where would be the point of a mate tagging along?
Dungeons yes, but following on the quest line, give over.

[Exmo]

90% or more of the MSQ are postman quests. Go talk to me over there and come back here to talk me straight after. Where would be the point of a mate tagging along?
Dungeons yes, but following on the quest line, give over.

That's true even at max level. So if that's a point of contention for you, buying a level skip is not a solution and you actually have a different problem.

[Shistar]

I'm also guessing these friends just don't feel like it? Cause (now I'm fully aware I have more will-power than some) but I literally started a whole new character to play alongside my fiance. Now I'm not saying everyone should do that (Lord knows ARR is a slog) but aside from that, I had max level players who guided me when I started playing, whenever I unlocked a duty, they took me through it. Synced. Of course there's things you can't do at the moment, but all things considered, it's not that bad.

I had the same experience, too! Even if they were just hanging out with me on their max level character as I was doing the MSQ, it was still better than doing it alone. And we also did the duties synced like you.
We would also do other content to give the MSQ a little break, like roulettes, treasure maps, EXs, deep dungeons, etc.

90% or more of the MSQ are postman quests. Go talk to me over there and come back here to talk me straight after. Where would be the point of a mate tagging along?
Dungeons yes, but following on the quest line, give over.

That's just quest design in this game, unfortunately... they rarely stray from this, so don't expect it to change if/whenf you buy a skip. You guys can comment on the MSQ as you go, they could also taxi you around if you don't have flying in the area yet, but it won't change the nature of the quests themselves. They're not meant to be done in "multiplayer", they're just for you to do.

[Jason_Ashford]

Well, I'm going through it normally, and I'm still in Stormblood, and I can't play with my friends yet. It's a bit frustrating, so I can understand their plight. I've been at this for a year. Now I'm going to take quite a break.

what do you mean? They can run dungeons with you, they can queue into raids, trials, etc. with you, they can play content like Eureka with you. you act as if only current endgame matters and that is ludicrous, especially when content like Eureka is still active 7-8 years later.

if your friends are refusing to play with you because they don't need the rewards, then they weren't really friends to begin with, just acquaintances who play the same game.

I would happily rerun the entire game from ARR through Dawntrail a second time with my friends, so i don't see what their excuse is to not to have that mentality for you.

[Kohashi]

Well, I'm going through it normally, and I'm still in Stormblood, and I can't play with my friends yet. It's a bit frustrating, so I can understand their plight. I've been at this for a year. Now I'm going to take quite a break.

You can definitely play with them, and I do highly recommend trying at least MINE/ Synched EX. It will take a bit of organization, especially if you are in an FC or just ask them to teach you about PF-ing and the jazz.

Just pushing through msq to me is super mega boring.

[Little_Giant]

I think FFXIV should come with a msq skip and level skip for one class with each expansion. Hiding latest content behind a long and big time investment or extra pay wall, is not the way. People who boost may not be the ideal players that community wants but they are players non the less.

Blizzard understands this but for some reason Square does not. They rather want people to go through a long msq with outdated gameplay or pay extra, that will just turn new players that don't wanna go through all that off and give up. Maybe squre gets more money this way, but we certainly do not get more players.

[Daralii]

I think FFXIV should come with a msq skip and level skip for one class with each expansion. Hiding latest content behind a long and big time investment or extra pay wall, is not the way. People who boost may not be the ideal players that community wants but they are players non the less.

Blizzard understands this but for some reason Square does not. They rather want people to go through a long msq with outdated gameplay or pay extra, that will just turn new players that don't wanna go through all that off and give up. Maybe squre gets more money this way, but we certainly do not get more players.

Short-term financial gains make the line go up. If the line goes up, Yoshida has done his job.

[Asari5]

but you can play with your friends.


let me guess, they said 'we already have all of the rewards for old content so we cant play with you'

[Crafoutis]

The singular upside to all of this is that the Second Life players are jumping ship, thankfully, there are distinctly less of those unsavory types lingering around the towns.