The state of the Game

[Shinku_Tachi]

Question is, will they course correct in a large manner or will it be some pity crumbs like Viera and Hrotgar hair

I'd hope for the former, but I can't say.

What I can say is, something that would be nice, as a gesture of good faith, would be to release a survey to the community like Yoshi-P did when he went to work on 1.0

Just a long list of yea or nay and a/b/c questions (so the feedback isn't a cacophony of noise), addressing many of the grievances the community has brought forth over the last year, compare it with the player data, and implement them in the development of 8.0

It may not seem like much, but I feel like that would go a long way in restoring some trust between the players and Yoshi-P / CBU3

[NightHour]

My thoughts exactly. Even when it comes to giving actual and structured feedback, they take it too personal, clouded by their fanboyism to Yoshi P who they place on a pedestal mumbling the same mind-numbing things over like 'Stop playing it if you don't like it'. Unless the man is paying you, you're just part of a cult or a troll.

I wish these people would drill this into their troglodyte minds...WE ARE PAYING for the service, so we as customers, have the right to criticize it. Is just as easy as your favorite restaurant that you’ve been going to for ages and suddenly their food quality drops to garbage levels, you criticize it so they get back on track to what once made them good for you to eat there on repeat and even bring your family and friends. Why is this so hard to understand, is beyond?

Over time, this community has grown very toxic around this, so I don't even know how they still consider themselves 'Wholesome'.

Technically we're paying for the right to access the service.



I'm still playing due to my friends circle, my FC and my house.


Doesn't mean I think the games in a good spot because it most definitely isn't.

[Striker44]

I dont think its annoying to see this topic if your passionate about the game wanna see it get better ofvourse. What I'm struggling with understanding is how this pkayer base is deemed as a wholesome community.....when its not.

Ppl would rather see the game fail, report ppl for trying get the game back on track, get annoyed at post....if you dont like it dont comment on said post, and finally gaving a dev team who are literally tone death when it comes to the state of game.....im struggling to understand why you would destroy your cash cow for few clowns who dont care about this game.

From my experience, I would definitely say the FFXIV community as a whole is a "wholesome" community. I just as definitely wouldn't say that about the select few of us that are here on the Forums. Combining the human nature aspect that people are more likely to speak up when they have a complaint compared to when they're satisfied with the anonymity of online forums, and you get a place that disproportionately attracts negativity, toxicity, and immaturity. (And based on your comment, I'd invite you to see the kind of response you get here if you dare to say anything positive about the game...)

Absolutely none of this is my experience with the community as a whole, which has been overwhelmingly positive in-game. Heck, I've been playing since 2015, and as my main MMO since 2021, and I'm pretty sure I can still count on one hand the number of "toxic" people I've met in-game. It's a huge breath of fresh air having previously been primarily a WoW player.

For the record, I also don't think anyone wants to see the game fail as you're trying to claim. There's a simple reality that when you have a playerbase with hundreds of thousands of people, you're going to have a wide variety of opinions. What would make the game "better" for one person could make it significantly "worse" for someone else. In the end, what we all really want is the dev's to design the game in a way that makes us personally happy. It throws a major red flag in my face when I see comments like I'm quoting here claiming that people "want to see the game fail" or "don't care about it" when all it really means is they have a different opinion. They also care and want to see it succeed, just as much as you do. It just means something different to them.

[znushu]

So I figured I'd ask Gemini to summarize the OP just to make it easier to get through and this was her response...

This is a detailed critique of Final Fantasy XIV from a veteran player who feels the game is in decline. The author argues that the quantity and quality of content have decreased over the years, while long-standing issues remain unaddressed.

Here's a summary of the main points:

Content and Design

• Less Content, Slower Pace:
  The author compares an old patch (2.2) to a hypothetical future one (7.2), concluding that the game used to deliver significantly more content in a shorter amount of time.
• Formulaic Dungeons:
  Modern dungeons are criticized for being boring, linear corridors with a predictable "wall-to-wall pull" structure, unlike older dungeons that had more variety, puzzles, and branching paths.
• Empty Overworlds:
  The world maps feel lifeless and empty after the main story is complete and flying is unlocked. The author suggests mixing in smaller, no-fly zones to encourage exploration.

Systemic and Technical Issues

• Poor New Player Experience:
  The game is not fun for new players due to extremely slow and boring ability progression at low levels and confusing systems for unlocking basic features.
• Abandoned Systems:
  Many features like Free Companies, Grand Companies, housing, Chocobo Companions, and in-game marriage have been neglected for years and feel outdated or irrelevant.
• Technical Debt:
  The author is tired of the "spaghetti code" excuse for the game's technical problems, such as clunky inventory and glamour systems, a slow market board, and poor netcode. The upcoming FF14 Mobile version is frequently cited as proof that these issues can be fixed.

Narrative and Community

• Storytelling Flaws:
  The Dawntrail expansion's story is criticized for its poor pacing, predictable plot, and making the player character a passive observer. The narrative is accused of over-explaining everything, leaving no room for discovery.
• Difficulty and Communication:
  The author notes a sharp divide between casual and hardcore players, with no smooth difficulty curve to help players improve. They also call for better communication and a clearer roadmap from the developers to address community fears about the game's future.

Ultimately, the author expresses a deep love for the game and a desire for it to succeed. The piece is a passionate plea for the developers and Square Enix to take risks, overhaul outdated systems, and listen to player feedback to prevent the game's potential from being wasted.

[RoyLucaria]

I do love how it said that 7.2 is Hypothetical
Pretty sure we are in 7.2 and 7.3 is coming up.

[Llamalass]

Current state of the game? Ass.


"Can you really blame Square-Enix?", someone asked.

Yes, yes we can.

They have willingly let themselves become the dumpster fire they are today. And they don't seem to care, so why should we?

[Hallarem]

I mean, can you blame Square-Enix? With the amount of takes people here have, you'd think all feedback was constructive. Or important. Or relevant.

Its not like its their JOB to pick up any useful feedback from the sea of feedback. And not cry and just call it quits for surveys?

[MaikoRaines]

Its not like its their JOB to pick up any useful feedback from the sea of feedback. And not cry and just call it quits for surveys?

[MaikoRaines]

You're conflating my criticism of SE's lack of important and expensive attention being given to FF14 when they HAD the money, time, and player goodwill to do it with me somehow being unfamiliar with how corporations function in a fundamental sense.

I get what you're saying—and it’s valid: SE had the money, goodwill, and player trust to fund meaningful improvements to FFXIV, but chose not to.

If my tone came across like I was explaining how corporations work instead of engaging with your point, Let me clarify:

You’re highlighting a straightforward oversight: SE could’ve reinvested into XIV’s engine or QoL, but didn’t—even when they had the means.

My perspective on corporate budgeting mechanics isn’t meant to dismiss that—it’s to explain why profits often get overshadowed by broader company priorities. But context isn’t an excuse.

I’m just as frustrated seeing how little’s changed over the years—especially when players have been practically begging for core improvements since Shadowbringers. SE could’ve used that momentum to overhaul outdated systems, improve backend tools, or finally address long-standing issues like glam limits and housing—not exactly cutting-edge tech, but rather long-overdue maintenance.

I don’t think failed projects like Forspoken or Avengers are the reason XIV didn’t get love—but they do show how misaligned SE’s priorities have been. It’s hard to watch revenue from the company’s strongest title be funnelled into duds while the flagship MMO coasts.

So yeah—we might be looking at it from different angles, but we’re both calling out the same thing in the end: SE had what it needed to do right by XIV players… and it didn’t. So now they need to.

[All_Nonsense]

Fair point

It seems we're both very familiar with ye olde corpa stuff, so I'll skip all the pretense. It seems we both approached the situation from different altitudes despite heading in the same direction. I wanted to highlight the absurdity of SE's capital allocation decisions, as they have quite literally done everything short of intentional self-sabotage. I don't take a lot of things seriously, even when I'm being serious, so that's why I tend to word things in very circular, conceptually abstract ways. However, I am a firm believer in feeding winners to sustain growth as opposed to bleeding them constantly just to make what are, in essence, reckless gambles chasing the comet-tail of old trends. In my original statement I did make the expectation that one would extrapolate the fact that engine upgrades, QoL focus, and better content research and development would have not only have been a much safer investment, but were essentially a necessity for a high lifespan, live service game; and that expectation created an environment for misconception. In a way it was an argument that could have been better communicated, but wasn't done in bad faith.

We've paid a lot of money just to play the game over the years when you consider the full-price expansions, early accesses, and monthly subscription payments. The expectation is that there will be some exercise of the basic principle of "reinforce success" and not cooking their portfolio. I don't attribute those failures as the cause of the trouble SE is in now, I view them as symptomatic of the true problem that's now finally infected FF14 (horrid managerial practice...maybe not even. Poor executive decision making and planning more like). Now that the game has hit a point of stagnation, it's highly unlikely they'll be able to effectively recover without an immense amount of effort and some pain, and in my personal opinion we're not looking at a dev team who is motivated, prepared, nor skilled enough to pull this off any longer. I think that's the core of my grievance.

We both clearly love the game and wish it was better, and I could have been less bastardy with our communication. I apologize for that.