Exit survey when unsubscribing is laughable

[Mawlzy]

I guess the reason for no additional text box is for evaluation purposes. By choosing one of the preconceived answers the result probably just directly adds a +1 to that value in a database and can easily be processed. With additional text every answer has to be reviewed individually by a person.

That surely makes it more important to ask questions that provide actionable data?

[ovIm]

That surely makes it more important to ask questions that provide actionable data?

Only if you actually care for said data.

[Mawlzy]

Only if you actually care for said data.

Right, and SE would care about such data if their intent was to design a game that the players actually want, rather than what the devs/director want.

[YovelaLindswood]

During season one of TWW in wow I unsubbed with a lot of other players because of some decisions they made in effort to push player game time retention along with general game balancing issues. I got a block where I could type whatever I wanted in it and filled it completely with the issues I saw with the game. Blizzard runs those through an algorithm and common things are addressed. I was shocked how over a half year almost all the things I filled in my block ended up fixed by the dev team and I even resubbed. So much useful info can be gleaned by exit surveys i'm amazed they don't do more with it. Its such an amazing tool to increase player retention or return.

[Absurdity]

It is a little odd. I'm pretty sure every other MMORPG tries to catch unsubscribe reasons. It's a logical thing to do in order to quickly see why a mass wave of unsubs is happening.

But knowing SE as I do, I don't think they care about actual sub numbers (or other metrics) like other MMORPGs do. If they did they wouldn't say things like "take a break, play other games". They're pretty relaxed overall, and not obsessed with metrics, and they think being obsessed with metrics doesn't lead to a good place (I agree with them on this).

However, it would still be useful to catch feedback from avenues like that.

This statement from Yoshi-P has caused some insufferable cope for years now, simply because people interpret things into it that were never actually stated.

"It's alright not to play it everyday. Since it's just a game, you can stop forcing yourself if it's hard on you to keep that up. Rather, it'll just pile up unnecessary stress if you limit yourself into playing just that one game since there are so many other games out there. So, do come back and play it to your heart's content when the major patch kicks in, then stop it to play other games before you get burnt out, and then come back for another major patch. This will actually make me happier, and in the end, I think this is the best solution I can answer for keeping your motivation up for the game."

Nowhere in this quote does he mention that he wants you to unsubscribe.
Of course he doesn't, it would kill his game, and SE certainly wants to keep getting your money, even if you go and play other games.

[Batbrat]

If SE were smart, they'd have more realistic options with that leaving quiz. Ones like;

"I don't think I'm getting my moneys worth anymore"
"I didnt like the latest additions to the story"
"I couldnt get a house"
"I ran out of things to do"
"I am being stalked and the current blacklist is not enough"
"I couldnt find enough players for content" / "There arent enough players in my server" (Dynamis)
"I didnt like the current event"
"I dont like the overall direction that the game is going"

These are all reasons that I've personally heard people say, and these are all things that a company should care about. That's the direct information that they need the most, so that they know what to pinpoint and fix for the better by the next patch. Its not wise for them to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that everyone that leaves is only doing it to play another game for a bit. That's too easy. They need to know the truth. They need to know what's actually effecting their bottom line. They intentionally leave themselves in the dark, and it only hurts themselves.

[Gwenkatsu]

I guess the reason for no additional text box is for evaluation purposes. By choosing one of the preconceived answers the result probably just directly adds a +1 to that value in a database and can easily be processed. With additional text every answer has to be reviewed individually by a person.

It's 2025. When I e.g. look at amazon, the reviews now always start with an AI generated header like "most customers like X and Y about this product, but Z is sometimes mentioned as a problem".
Surely it would be possible to have an AI sift through all the feedback - hell, even the forums - and present the developers with an overview of what the people like, what they dislike, and why they dislike it.

[Jeeqbit]

It's 2025. When I e.g. look at amazon, the reviews now always start with an AI generated header like "most customers like X and Y about this product, but Z is sometimes mentioned as a problem".
Surely it would be possible to have an AI sift through all the feedback - hell, even the forums - and present the developers with an overview of what the people like, what they dislike, and why they dislike it.

Good idea! I just had AI do that!

1. Forked Tower concerns

• “Difficult experience in Forked Tower – a reminder to respect public content” (started June 16) has racked up ~455 replies—many highlighting annoying behavior from public players. Broad perception: the instance is poorly implemented and social norms are breaking down
• “Forked Tower is making me quit the game” (June 7) has ~80 replies. Many talk about frustration over gear gating and fatigue—some even claiming they’ll leave the game

Sentiment: strongly negative, with players expressing frustration, social discouragement, and even quitting.

2. Atma and Occult Crescent feedback

• “Thoughts on fixes for occult crescent” (today) with ~11 replies – users are suggesting tweaks and improvements
• “So how is everyone feeling about Occult Crescent now…” (June 1) attracted ~288 replies; comments range from “boring” to “needs more challenge”
• “Relic being tomestone step AGAIN is incredibly depressing” (yesterday) has ~55 replies lamenting RNG-heavy grind, calling it "terrible game design" .

Sentiment: Mostly critical with constructive tone—users are unhappy about grind and lack of depth, but offering suggestions.

3. Game Quality & Mechanics

• “Pets are broken in Howling Blade (SAVAGE)” (~4 replies): Frustration with malfunctioning support pets in raid content
• “Please Don’t Ever Add Entire World Level Scaling” (~18 replies): Strong pushback at design changes—community wants to keep difficulty structure
• “Level Sync feels worse every expansion” (~123 replies): Growing dissatisfaction with sync implementation since earlier expansions

Sentiment: Critical of certain game design choices; tone varies from frustrated to firmly opinionated.

4. Feature Requests & Suggestions

• “Playing dungeons with a friend + NPCs” (today): A few supportive replies (~2) requesting more control over party composition
• “We need an XIV token” (today): Gamers want a player-driven economy like WoW; early responses (~3) show cautious optimism .
• “Live Letter news hope: Fan Fest…” (~38 replies): Eager anticipation and speculation around upcoming announcements .

Sentiment: Generally positive and hopeful, with players proposing new systems to improve experience.

Overall Tone & Community Insights

• Frustration & fatigue: A lot of negative tone directed at specific gameplay mechanics—particularly grind-heavy content, instance design, and sync issues.
• Constructive engagement: Even critical threads often include user-generated proposals and genuine discussion for fixes.
• Mixed optimism: While some are upset (e.g., quitting over FT), others offer creative suggestions (e.g., NPC queues, XIV token economy).
• Shared courtesy concerns: There's a recurring focus on social dynamics, like etiquette in public instances and harassment reports—indicating the community cares about respectful conduct.

Bottom line: The community right now is a mix of vocal frustration (especially around FT, grind, and mechanic changes) and constructive hope, with many players actively proposing improvements. There's clear passion—some borderline burnout—but also a strong drive to make the game better through dialogue.

[ACE135]

It's 2025. When I e.g. look at amazon, the reviews now always start with an AI generated header like "most customers like X and Y about this product, but Z is sometimes mentioned as a problem".
Surely it would be possible to have an AI sift through all the feedback - hell, even the forums - and present the developers with an overview of what the people like, what they dislike, and why they dislike it.

Well, Square Enix obviously isn't Amazon.

[Valence]

Why are all the people I share opinions with leaving the game?