The most common counter argument I get is that the game has nothing to do while people wait, which is true, but it's not unfixable.
Generally speaking after FanFest there's like a 6month period after an expansion is released. Maaaybe 8months (I think this was endwalker). But am I really the only one who thinks that it's way too short of a period to give the developers the time to polish the corners of a next expansion and actual give something meaningfull for the end-game as well.
I would personally be ok that after the initial announcement at Fanfest there's always a full calendar year before release.
Here's my issue with expansions; Generally speaking an expansion contain the MSQ, new FATE's (that are literally copy paste from previous) and EX's to do. Beyond that you might have some crafter stuff to do, but even that stuff is literally copypasted from previous expansion with literally the same materials with different icons. (for the most part) AND hunt trains.
So the devs are pushing an expansion out as soon as they can just to please the MSQ players and to pay their yearly bills on time I guess, the latter part I understand that as a company you kind of have to pay someone something at some point. And usually there's a deadline.
But from the players perspective, the players who play only the MSQ leave right after they're done with the MSQ, might even unsub. And those of us who love the game beyond it are left with close to nothing to do unless we artificially limit ourselves by not playing as much or don't go to the marketboard to skiphalf the crafter "content". Or we just generally slow things down by AFK'ing in Limsa.
I would much rather that expansions took the time they need to release a package that actually caters to the playerbase rather than investors. Or atleast that's how it feels to me when they need to release these things at certain schedule.
The issue of "nothing to do while we wait" and people unsubbing during this period is actually more fixable than you'd think, but the devs never actually do any of it, which is weird to me.
There is never any smaller scale events that happen in the game that makes the game feel alive as a liveservice game. You might think that theres moogle events and seasonal events, but generally both of those are a bit bigger. Especially the seasonal events usually have a story to them which I think takes ALOT of extra manpower to implement into the game, but beyond that there's almost never any real small scale things that would actually keep people logged-in for the hiatus period.
Here's just a few examples:
Some of these are quite simple and basic live service things that 14 doesn't utilize at all and I don't understand why? I'm not saying that "double xp" is particullarly exiting for most players, but there are players who would probably test out PvP more if it wasn't so grindy to get all the series rewards.
And if these things happen periodically it's not like it takes away from anyone in particular.
Some of the suggested things could be a little larger, like new world bosses, but don't need any elaborate NPC questline to have them be added in the world as just things to do.
But I feel like the game could do so much during the downtime to gives player retention and allows the devs to take longer on an expansions release and when it launches it actually holds a more meningful game beyond MSQ.
And if FOMO is the issue I feel like these examples are alot more reasonable that PvP series rewards.
Just as a last note, generally speaking when an expansion launched the development for the next expansion is probably already starting, especially in Japan where they barely get vacation off all that often. But after whatever vacation they do get they're back at work planning for the next one. So 8.0 has most likely been in development since July 2024 at the latest. some parts of it probably already planned before then.
Thats barely more than 1 year in development, some of which probably have been done BEFORE the feedback from fans about Dawntrail to some degree.
So if you just look at the the full timeline Fanfest JP is in October 31, 2026, 6-8 months from there is an estimated release for 8.0. Thats comes to April 2027 release at the earliest for 8.0, thats 2 full calendar years, barely 3.
So the worst case scenario is 3 full calendar years in development for the next expansion WHILE you are also adding content to the current expansion. So not only are you taking focus away from the next expansion, you are actively shortening the time you are able to develop it. We can only hope there's actually 2 teams working on both at the same time, but even then you have half the manpower working on the current stuff.
I would just personally have them get full hands on deck for a full year after Fanfest JP. So the release would be October 31st 2027. And whatever the game does during that period is these smaller catchup events.
Continue reading...
Generally speaking after FanFest there's like a 6month period after an expansion is released. Maaaybe 8months (I think this was endwalker). But am I really the only one who thinks that it's way too short of a period to give the developers the time to polish the corners of a next expansion and actual give something meaningfull for the end-game as well.
I would personally be ok that after the initial announcement at Fanfest there's always a full calendar year before release.
Here's my issue with expansions; Generally speaking an expansion contain the MSQ, new FATE's (that are literally copy paste from previous) and EX's to do. Beyond that you might have some crafter stuff to do, but even that stuff is literally copypasted from previous expansion with literally the same materials with different icons. (for the most part) AND hunt trains.
So the devs are pushing an expansion out as soon as they can just to please the MSQ players and to pay their yearly bills on time I guess, the latter part I understand that as a company you kind of have to pay someone something at some point. And usually there's a deadline.
But from the players perspective, the players who play only the MSQ leave right after they're done with the MSQ, might even unsub. And those of us who love the game beyond it are left with close to nothing to do unless we artificially limit ourselves by not playing as much or don't go to the marketboard to skiphalf the crafter "content". Or we just generally slow things down by AFK'ing in Limsa.
I would much rather that expansions took the time they need to release a package that actually caters to the playerbase rather than investors. Or atleast that's how it feels to me when they need to release these things at certain schedule.
The issue of "nothing to do while we wait" and people unsubbing during this period is actually more fixable than you'd think, but the devs never actually do any of it, which is weird to me.
There is never any smaller scale events that happen in the game that makes the game feel alive as a liveservice game. You might think that theres moogle events and seasonal events, but generally both of those are a bit bigger. Especially the seasonal events usually have a story to them which I think takes ALOT of extra manpower to implement into the game, but beyond that there's almost never any real small scale things that would actually keep people logged-in for the hiatus period.
Here's just a few examples:
- increased tomestone rewards for 2 weeks from roulette and hunt-trains.
- increased MGP in golden saucer this week.
- Additional event based FATE's added that give more bicolor gemstones this week.
- Doing FATE's in ARR zones gives triple XP.
- Increased PVP series XP.
- Wonderous Tails has a ARR mount reward this week.
- Added a new FATE boss in Kozama'uka for a mount.
Some of these are quite simple and basic live service things that 14 doesn't utilize at all and I don't understand why? I'm not saying that "double xp" is particullarly exiting for most players, but there are players who would probably test out PvP more if it wasn't so grindy to get all the series rewards.
And if these things happen periodically it's not like it takes away from anyone in particular.
Some of the suggested things could be a little larger, like new world bosses, but don't need any elaborate NPC questline to have them be added in the world as just things to do.
But I feel like the game could do so much during the downtime to gives player retention and allows the devs to take longer on an expansions release and when it launches it actually holds a more meningful game beyond MSQ.
And if FOMO is the issue I feel like these examples are alot more reasonable that PvP series rewards.
Just as a last note, generally speaking when an expansion launched the development for the next expansion is probably already starting, especially in Japan where they barely get vacation off all that often. But after whatever vacation they do get they're back at work planning for the next one. So 8.0 has most likely been in development since July 2024 at the latest. some parts of it probably already planned before then.
Thats barely more than 1 year in development, some of which probably have been done BEFORE the feedback from fans about Dawntrail to some degree.
So if you just look at the the full timeline Fanfest JP is in October 31, 2026, 6-8 months from there is an estimated release for 8.0. Thats comes to April 2027 release at the earliest for 8.0, thats 2 full calendar years, barely 3.
So the worst case scenario is 3 full calendar years in development for the next expansion WHILE you are also adding content to the current expansion. So not only are you taking focus away from the next expansion, you are actively shortening the time you are able to develop it. We can only hope there's actually 2 teams working on both at the same time, but even then you have half the manpower working on the current stuff.
I would just personally have them get full hands on deck for a full year after Fanfest JP. So the release would be October 31st 2027. And whatever the game does during that period is these smaller catchup events.
Continue reading...