Proposal: Rebalance FFXIV Around Living Zones and Scalable Challenge

[Altina_Orion]

Final Fantasy XIV has long been praised for striking a balance between accessibility and depth, but as the game continues to grow, so does the tension between its casual and hardcore player bases. Recently, that tension has sharpened into two dominant narratives: that FFXIV caters too much to raiders at the expense of casual players, and conversely, that it has become so casual-focused that high-end players are starved for meaningful content. In truth, both perceptions are wrong in the same way: neither group is being served particularly well.

The core of the problem isn’t the existence of hardcore or casual content, it’s that the systems designed for both lack longevity. Hardcore players clear Savage and Ultimate quickly and have little reason to return. Casual players finish the MSQ and are left with shallow, one-and-done side content like Island Sanctuary or beast tribes. Semi-casual systems like Criterion are too underdeveloped to fill the gap.

To fix this, I propose two foundational changes.

First, for hardcore players: FFXIV should introduce a Mythic+ style scalable dungeon system. This doesn’t mean making dungeons brutally hard from the start. Instead, it means offering a Mythic 0 version of dungeons with tuned-up mechanics like mandatory interrupts, stuns, and light team coordination. From there, difficulty could scale via affixes similar to WoW’s system or existing Deep Dungeon modifiers. We already have elements of this in the game: affixes like "Gloom" and "Auto-heal Disabled" from Deep Dungeons, or mechanics like "The Rot" originally seen in the Coil raids. There’s no reason these can’t be adapted and expanded upon for a scalable, replayable system. With weekly rotating affix sets, time-based score tracking, and leaderboard or glamour rewards, this one system could keep hardcore players engaged far beyond the initial burst of Savage content.

Second, for casual players: stop segregating field exploration content to X.25+ patches and instead build it directly into the expansion’s six launch zones. Instead of creating a separate field operation like Eureka or OC, make the overworld zones feel alive with similar systems. Add Lost Action-style abilities and let players earn them by participating in local events, exploring hidden chests, or helping NPCs. Spawn open-world CEs tied to player activity. Make mobs slightly more challenging and reward players with treasure or progress toward zone-wide goals. Most importantly, give each zone a progression track, not unlike Bozja’s Resistance Ranks, that allows players to develop a relationship with the area.

[Altina_Orion]

There is no reason why the concept of field operations and overworld gameplay need to be separate. By fully integrating field operation mechanics into the open world from the beginning of an expansion, each expansion can introduce its own systems and field mechanics that live entirely within that expansion's set of zones. Additional zones beyond the core six, such as a seventh, eighth, or ninth zone added in later patches, can still follow this model. These zones should not be isolated gameplay arenas but extensions of that expansion’s existing ecosystem. There is no need to retrofit older expansions or apply global systems across the entire game; each expansion can have its own identity and progression model without requiring a full reset. This would dramatically improve zone longevity and make the launch zones feel relevant long after the MSQ ends.

This shift would benefit everyone. Casual players get long-term, low-pressure content that encourages exploration and growth. Hardcore players get repeatable skill-based content that respects their time. Semi-casual players get a reason to log in outside of patch weeks. And SE gets to reuse existing assets more efficiently, investing in systems rather than burning dev time on one-off content.

There would be pushback, of course. Any systemic change invites friction. But learning from feedback and iterating is what will keep FFXIV thriving for the next decade. The solution isn’t to give more to one side or the other, it’s to design smarter systems that scale naturally and reward the full spectrum of players.

[Mawlzy]

Uhm. They couldn't make a hard and easy Forked Tower.

[CidHeiral]

stop segregating field exploration content to X.25+ patches and instead build it directly into the expansion’s six launch zones. Instead of creating a separate field operation like Eureka or OC, make the overworld zones feel alive with similar systems.

I've been saying the same thing. This would not only make the overworld feel more alive throughout the expansion but it would give the field ops enjoyers something to chew on right off the bat. You're hitting two birds with one stone. This would also need to come with an overhaul of the overworld FATE system so there are unique and interesting objectives and not just "AOE some random mobs."

[Jeeqbit]

Recently, that tension has sharpened into two dominant narratives: that FFXIV caters too much to raiders at the expense of casual players, and conversely, that it has become so casual-focused that high-end players are starved for meaningful content.

It's objectively the case that raiders are not starved for content. We've never had more raid content in the entire history of the game. That was true in Endwalker as well, due to having 7 Extremes, 12 Savages, 2 Ultimates, 3 Criterions, 5 Unreals (I know this is old content but it's popular), 1 Deep Dungeon (debateable, but many raiders like the solo challenge).

The issue in Endwalker raids was purely the depth - all roles doing the same mechanics, giant hitboxes, and staying too safe with mechanic development and uptime mechanics. Which have been addressed in Dawntrail, so raiders have never had it so good.

And this time, we not only have all the raids that were in Endwalker, but also a 4-person post-Deep Dungeon raid boss, Chaotic, Forked Tower and likely another in 7.5. There is really nobody that can say with credibility that there aren't any high-end duties in Dawntrail!

However, it was also fair to argue that Endwalker was full of casual content at the exact same time. The problem is that it was extremely casual - as in 2-10 minutes of your day type casual:

• Island Sanctuary: 5-10mins - click mammet quests, collect materials from mammets/animals, add some things to workshop for the week, set new tasks to gather for the week, logout.
• Expert Roulette: 12 mins
• Hunt train: ~20 mins
• Seasonal Event: ~10mins
• Alliance Raid: 20-40mins (depending on boss HP bloat)
• Variant: do all 12 routes, never do it again ever because no roulette
• Beast Tribe: ~5-10mins
• Custom Deliveries: ~5-10mins
• MSQ: 1 day
• Normal Raids: Few hours prog on release day maybe, 40 min reclears per week thereafter, then just 10mins once you've got normal raid gear.
• Crafting/Gathering/Ocean Fishing/Gold Saucer/PvP/House: Varies since old but popular casual content.

The core of the problem isn’t the existence of hardcore or casual content, it’s that the systems designed for both lack longevity.

I think there is enough longevity in raid content: Ultimates have titles/glowing weapons and most people don't clear them fast (easily know many people that have been progging them months), Savage is a long-term prog for many people (sorry week1 clearers, but you don't represent everyone, look at how many weeks people complained about their P8S, P10S or M6S prog) and then there's reclears. Extremes see many people farm them 99 times for the mount, which can be spaced out over a few weeks. Clearly Chaotic kept people progging ages. If you go for the mounts or weapon glam, Criterion could keep you farming a lot. Deep Dungeon solos are a prog.

FFXIV should introduce a Mythic+ style scalable dungeon system.

They've even done this for the Masked Carnivale, so they can do it. We wondered if this was what Variant or Criterion dungeons were going to be as well. And there's still the question of why not make use of the around 100 existing dungeons for this rather than making new ones.

stop segregating field exploration content to X.25+ patches

It's an improvement from Endwalker that we have this. It's something more to do than just click mammets, hand in a beast tribe quest or do the same expert dungeon for the 133rd time.

But obviously the Forked Tower issue suddenly asks them to be progression raiders in a way that CEs don't, and CLL showed a way to do it where the entry system is good, the challenge is there and sometimes the run fails or has loads of full wipes but casual players clear it a lot still, and where the confident raider types fought Lyon which had more reponsiblity riding on it. They just need to replicate that format but inject other fresh ideas in place of the prisoners that involve teamwork.

[Altina_Orion]

That was true in Endwalker as well, due to having 7 Extremes, 12 Savages, 2 Ultimates, 3 Criterions, 5 Unreals ]

For every EX/Savage/Criterion There is a normal trial, normal raid, and a variant. A lot of these are also "one-and-done" content for raiders.

Also, EX/Unreal is HARDLY raider content. Most EXs can be done in one to two sessions in party finder. These are for casual players to get their toes dipped into some harder content. High end raiders are generally not entertained by these. But on a patch by patch basis, 7.0 came with 4 savages and nothing else. 4 savages for 4 months. Groups were done with there in two weeks and then recleared for an hour a week. The ultimate has a bit more longevity, but not much incentive for reclaring (7.1). Chaotic and Ulti were the only two pieces of raider content in 7.1. 7.2, we have forked which required a LOT of prep and isnt even for most raiders, but for hardcore field-ops enthusiasts. And then 4 more savages. For 8 months this time since there is very little to challenge raiders in 7.3. Consider that.

Really what do you think raiders are doing now? Reclears on tuesdays and then nothing.

I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

[Mawlzy]

For every EX/Savage/Criterion There is a normal trial, normal raid, and a variant. A lot of these are also "one-and-done" content for raiders.

Also, EX/Unreal is HARDLY raider content. Most EXs can be done in one to two sessions in party finder. These are for casual players to get their toes dipped into some harder content. High end raiders are generally not entertained by these. But on a patch by patch basis, 7.0 came with 4 savages and nothing else. 4 savages for 4 months. Groups were done with there in two weeks and then recleared for an hour a week. The ultimate has a bit more longevity, but not much incentive for reclaring (7.1). Chaotic and Ulti were the only two pieces of raider content in 7.1. 7.2, we have forked which required a LOT of prep and isnt even for most raiders, but for hardcore field-ops enthusiasts. And then 4 more savages. For 8 months this time since there is very little to challenge raiders in 7.3. Consider that.

Really what do you think raiders are doing now? Reclears on tuesdays and then nothing.

I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

No they are not. - A Casual Player

[Altina_Orion]

No they are not. - A Casual Player

Just because you are a casual doesn't mean you represent all casuals. This content is truly clearable by anyone. If you like story-mode content and don't like any friction, then you don't have to participate. The content may not be designed for you.

Edit: There has been this whole debate as to what "midcore" is and a push to not use that term. Hardcore players call "midcore" content casual and casuals may call it hardcore in some sense. There really isn't a true midcore in the game right now, but for the sake of this conversation, those three duties could be considered "midcore" by some lose definition.

[YovelaLindswood]

For every EX/Savage/Criterion There is a normal trial, normal raid, and a variant. A lot of these are also "one-and-done" content for raiders.

Also, EX/Unreal is HARDLY raider content. Most EXs can be done in one to two sessions in party finder. These are for casual players to get their toes dipped into some harder content. High end raiders are generally not entertained by these. But on a patch by patch basis, 7.0 came with 4 savages and nothing else. 4 savages for 4 months. Groups were done with there in two weeks and then recleared for an hour a week. The ultimate has a bit more longevity, but not much incentive for reclaring (7.1). Chaotic and Ulti were the only two pieces of raider content in 7.1. 7.2, we have forked which required a LOT of prep and isnt even for most raiders, but for hardcore field-ops enthusiasts. And then 4 more savages. For 8 months this time since there is very little to challenge raiders in 7.3. Consider that.

Really what do you think raiders are doing now? Reclears on tuesdays and then nothing.

I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

The fundamental problem with xiv content is fight design. Because going from non one shot body checks to one shot body checks is the only punishment mechanic they use there's really no midcore content in the game. WoW scaling works because for 99% of mechs its a damage modification that just goes up with scale but xiv just gives you 999,999 damage because you were a pixel off the safe area. I would like to see mythics in xiv or more scales of raids for a gradual increase in mechanics and difficulty like wow but given how two versions of forked tower was apparently too expensive i'm not holding my breath.

[Altina_Orion]

The fundamental problem with xiv content is fight design. Because going from non one shot body checks to one shot body checks is the only punishment mechanic they use there's really no midcore content in the game. WoW scaling works because for 99% of mechs its a damage modification that just goes up with scale but xiv just gives you 999,999 damage because you were a pixel off the safe area. I would like to see mythics in xiv or more scales of raids for a gradual increase in mechanics and difficulty like wow but given how two versions of forked tower was apparently too expensive i'm not holding my breath.

Oh for sure, i mean i'm not saying that this will happen, but we do need something that's somehow scalable in difficulty for more hardcore players to keep themselves entertained and something that is fun and longform from the beginning for more casual players.