Is FFXIV Endwalker a Bad Expansion? We Explain

Is FFXIV Endwalker a foul Enlargement? What’s all of the latest uproar locally about? We have performed some considering and got here up with this rationalization.

The wild success the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has been having fun with these previous few years is actually one thing to behold. Its newest growth Endwalker has been a convincing success and with Dawntrail on the horizon there appears to be no restrict to the heights Sq. Enix MMO can attain.

However lately, relying on what nook of the neighborhood you’ve got been creeping round, you might have heard of Warriors of Gentle decry the present state of the sport. Whereas there’s advantage to these complaints there’s additionally quite a lot of recency bias going round.

So as a substitute of extra complaining, we’re taking a look at these speaking factors and explaining how we received right here within the first place.

FFXIV Endwalker is a Unhealthy Enlargement, Proper?

There was quite a lot of vitality behind this dialogue as of late, principally spearheaded by outstanding members of the neighborhood and particularly content material creators. And whereas it is true that the Endwalkers patch cycle was a bit lighter on content material on a floor degree, claiming that there’s much less content material is a bit disingenuous.

There’s Much less Content material Than Ever

If we have a look at the wealth of content material FFXIV received over time and examine Endwalkers patch cycle to earlier expansions, each different growth would look unhealthy as compared. The little and massive issues Endwalker has launched in its patch content material are nothing to be scoffed at. Criterion Dungeons, Island Sanctuary, and so forth.

What we do see is that the XIV crew’s focus has shifted a bit in direction of content material that’s of a better high quality and complexity however takes lots much less time to clear as compared. There has additionally been an even bigger concentrate on ‘informal content material’ just like the Island Sanctuary and Variant Dungeons as a substitute of purely battle-focused content material.

Along with that, there have additionally been quite a lot of adjustments underneath the hood. The hassle to convey older content material as much as the present customary along with Responsibility Help has been nothing however monumental. Older Dungeons received overhauled and fights received adjusted. Along with that some quests and Solo-Dutys have additionally seen large adjustments throughout.

However the shift within the crew’s priorities is being observed by increasingly gamers. The Criterion/Variant Dungeons meant to interchange the Bozja/Eureka sort content material will not be as huge of a timesink and are nonetheless in a really early stage of their life cycle.

However What Concerning the Relicts?

Nobody will argue that the shift from Relicts being their very own factor to being tied to the Hildibrand questline has been a bizarre one. And whereas the Hildibrand questline continues to impress with its ridiculous quantity of manufacturing worth, having handy in Tomestones for upgrades was a bit disappointing.

However contemplating that final time round, gamers would reasonably grind dungeons and annihilate FATEs with their Blue Mages we will at the very least see the place the crew is coming from. XIV has all the time been good at not getting in the best way of drugs development, even when the Relicts was once the reward for an virtually countless grind.

Is the change good? That will depend on how a lot worth you set in your Relicts. To some it is a late patch exercise to justify paying your subscription, to others, it is simply a simple much less painful solution to get an improve to make amends for content material. It is good that the Relicts are actually one thing you may earn whereas doing different issues however would additionally like them to really feel particular once more.

Raids are worse now

It is a extra loaded take that can take far to correctly decode. Is among the Final encounters we received in 6.0 not as beloved as the opposite? Sure. However saying that the raids are worse now type of ignores the present state of XIV battle content material as an entire.

Whereas all of us received uninterested in the 2-minute buff-meta after 12 months, it’s simply what we ended up with. FFXIVs mechanics and boss fights are so well-documented as of late that it’s no surprise it feels stale. Fights have been adjusted to compensate for that and the utilization of third celebration instruments however it’s a battle we’re all the time gonna lose.

There isn’t any doubt that Dawntrails must shake issues up once more. Jobs are getting stale as a result of their selection nonetheless must be balanced out throughout the board and encounters, as fairly as they’re will all the time be solved and optimized at regarding speeds.

There isn’t any actual reply to this, however XIV will all the time desire accessibility and the onboarding of recent gamers over its veteran participant base. However including a brand new sort of content material between Savage and Final with the appropriate incentives may be the best way to go.

The Story Is Unhealthy

Everybody will get totally different mileage out of the story of FFXIV. And whereas the trip that was Shadowbringers going and ending with Endwalker was one thing to behold, it doesn’t suggest XIV has skipped a beat but. The 6.x story has been a special pace little question, with many likening it to a Shounen Anime Filler Arc.

To date the story has principally been confused about wrapping up free ends from some expansions in the past and setting the scene for our subsequent huge journey. It has been a special pace for positive, however nonetheless performs to XIV’s energy. Sturdy worldbuilding and glorious characters with simply the correct mix of significant and light-hearted.

Is Endwalker a Unhealthy Enlargement?

This may come all the way down to who you are asking. We consider that Endwalker has been, up to now a superb growth, particularly for everybody on the extra informal aspect of issues. A variety of the signs that many attribute to Endwalker’s badness are extra penalties of XIV’s ongoing rising pains.

Fatigue is setting in for each gamers and builders and it is left to be seen how Sq. Enix navigates round and out of it within the close to future. However Endwalker has additionally launched many, far more sustainable sorts of content material in comparison with the “Let’s do Diadem once more however X” method they’d earlier than.

In case you’re not pleased with the present state of the sport, nothing stops you from taking a break from enjoying. The very last thing you need is to burn your self out on one thing you actually get pleasure from. Or possibly give among the extra informal forms of content material a go.

For extra on FFXIV, try our summary of the recent Letter from the Producer Live or what to anticipate Dawntrail. And for extra guides, information, and esports try ESTNN