What happened to the 8 years of data and market analysis?

[BelgianRofl]

Having run one of the worlds more successful MMOs for 8 years, I'd like to know why exactly we still need player polls to figure out what people want. I remember several exit-polls and surveys from FFXI. Surely, it isn't outrageous to think that a billion-dollar company like SE would analyze market trends.

Surely with all that data from the 8-years of running FFXI and its exit surveys, Square-Enix had an idea of what drove people away and what people liked. With 20+ years experience making world-class games, 8 years of FFXI, and a huge financial backing, one can only ponder what happened between the FFXIV Tech Demo in 2005 and the creation of the world and systems for the next 5 years.

Perhaps Square-Enix entrusted certain individuals to carry out such analysis and develop a blockbuster hit. I just don't know. It saddens me that after waiting 5 long years for this game, we're back to the drawing board and brainstorming...

[Galamantyl]

I am in favor of Tanaka's efforts to make a completely new and original idea

I am strongly against Yoshida's efforts to change that

Edit: Might seem off-topic, but it's not. Tanaka probably considered FFXI to already be what FFXI players wanted. He didn't expect over 70 percent of FFXIV's player base to be made up of FFXI players. In an article somewhere before FFXIV's release, FFXIV was inspired by newer generation mmorpgs that were already out, such as World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. They did their research, they just didn't expect a large number of players to expect another FFXI.

Tanaka had the right thinking: why make the same game when the same game is still going strong?

The way he should've been thinking however was: how did sequels of other mmorpgs turn out?

[Zaene]

Well, as it stands I feel that what happened was as could be called a "perfect storm". The right people had the wrong ideas at just the right time combined with possible rushed-out systems and outsourcing. The result is as you see it.

I'm certain this was, while I no means condone its existance, a one-time type of incident.

[Sinzfeldt]

I heard this thread delivered, i was wrong.

[Eekiki]

Zaene hit the nail on the head, though I would place emphasis on the "rushed-out systems and outsourcing" as the primary causes of XIV's early failures.

[TonyMontana]

Maybe JP MMOs have fallen to far behind the development curve to compete in 2011.

[Xeno]

The polls are just a PR stunt. SE will always do what SE wants.

[Malakhim]

It went down the hooooooole.

[Zaene]

It went down the hooooooole.

I cannot help commenting on obscure references. You sir win the internet. Plucky approves of this post.

[Jibe]

The polls are just a PR stunt. SE will always do what SE wants.

This seems so true, especially because alot of the questions in those polls were worded in such a way that you already had an idea that they were wanting to do a certain thing, but were wanting confirmation from the players. No matter the responses to those polls I think that SE will do what they think is best.

It may even be that they consider the opinions of current players least, as these are the people most likely to already be at least somewhat satisfied with the game because they are still playing.