[Eorzea]

"Sometimes review scores and sales numbers don't coincide. Despite being critically panned, these games continued to fly off the shelves. The Worst Game Everyone Played award calls out those games that ended up being great successes even though they weren't great games.

Watch the video below for more!

http://www.gamespot....dex.html?page=3


And the winner is...

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online

This online role-playing sequel launched with a long, long list of problems. Unfortunately, that didn't stop a whole bunch of people from buying it."


---


Don't take this too seriously, though. Rest assured the game has improved tremendously since its release just three months ago. Things can only get better from here... right?

[pwrman5000]

just because people bought the game, and you even heard the dude who said "regret their purchase" doesn't mean they're still playing the game bro.

MMO's aren't really about how many copies of the game has sold, but rather how many people still continue to play the game, and are willing to pay for it when this game does go back to P2P.

i still like the enthusiasm you all have though. =)

[Dyft]

In all honesty, I am not the least bit suprised. In this day and age everyone under the moon want everything, and they want it yesterday. Not only that, but if and when they do get it, they are mad that it was not included for free from the get go. A simple analogy comes to mind here. It is just like going to the local fast food joint and ordering chicken nuggets. You gladly pay the 5 dollars that these make believe chicken nuggets cost (pre-order). After you have made your order, you hang out eagerly waiting for your glorious nuggets to be prepaired. Finally the wait is over and you receive your chicken nuggets (release day). You take your nuggets over to the table sit down and get ready to dig in (Install/Patch). You go to take your first bite and then it hits you, you did not get any dipping sauce. O M F G the world as we know it has now come to a complete standstill. Nothing else exists in the world outside of the dipping sauce that you did not get with your chicken nuggets. No one said that you would be getting dipping sauce. No one said that it would be included with your meal. You just expected it because "everone else" gives free dipping sauces with their chicken nugget meals.
The problem here is not FFXIV, it is the false sense of intitlement that everyone has. Well guess what guys, here is how the real world works. If I sell something for 50 dollars, no matter what it is, the only thing you are intitled to for your 50 dollars is what I explicitly described as for sale.

This then feeds into the real issue. If product "X" sells 500 units and product "Y" sells 300 units, product "X" is a "better" product. Anyone who says that "Y" product is better is wrong. Just because "X" product is "better" than "Y" does not mean that person A will enjoy "X" product better than "Y" product. In all reality, the real title should have been Gamespot's Most Stupid Reviews Ever insted of Gamespot's Worst Game Everyone Played.

Then again I suppose the real problem is people who need other people to tell them what they think.

[Eorzea]

I removed the last part of your post, pwrman5000. You only seem to show up when you have something negative to say about the game. If that's all you're looking to contribute, please do so elsewhere. I don't know when you last played FFXIV, but there are still plenty of people playing and the game has made many improvements with the November and December patches.

Nice analogy, Dyft.


This thread is just for fun. Please don't take it too seriously.

[pwrman5000]

well, I thought the analogy was funny hehehehehe =)

[Dyft]

Well thank you, I try. I think it is rather accurate though

[Dapliran]

I don't know if I would call it the worst game, but it certainly had a good number of problems. What this 'award' shows me is that a lot of people were looking forward to playing the game and bought it for whatever reason, whether it be the experience with XI, the Final Fantasy name, etc. What I would be curious to see is how many people are playing on a regular basis.

Ultimately though, MMOs success or failure aren't really based off of launch, usually they can be judged about 6 months in. By that time, you can see how many people are sticking around and whether there is adequate user growth or not. After 6 months it would take a monumental shift to go from a 'failure' to a 'success' or in reverse at that point in time.

It will be interesting to see the gamers reaction to XIV at relaunch (PS3 launch) with all of the baggage that has occurred, will they be forgiving and actually try the game or will they just move on to something else. I guess it depends on how long it takes.

[Dyft]

Being that it has Final Fantasy in the name, I would be more then willing to bet a pay check that the PS3 release will fly off the shelves as well. Considering that FF has a larger following on console than PC will help as well. If that were not enough, a lot of console gamers have not played MMOs and will be much less likely to 1) try and compare it to other MMOs and 2) be much less likely to have the false sense of entitlement that others have from playing previous MMOs. Finally, hardware will be MUCH MUCH MUCH less of an issue as not everyone with a PC can play 14 while EVERYONE with a PS3 will have the hardware to play it.

[Dapliran]

With all things being equal, I would probably agree with you on the PS3 launch. However, for the relaunch and unless the make the game into a can't miss proposition, timing will be crucial. By the time it launches, the PS3 will have DCU Online and probably Free Realms, with an outside possibility of the Agency to compete with. DCU will also have a monthly fee, so many will have to decide if getting a second MMO is worth it or if switching is worth it.

Ultimately though, I think we'll probably have a situation where the actual box will sell quite a bit, but whether a lot of people will remain to play is going to be the biggest question. And only time and what changes SE plan for the game can answer that.

[Bishop]

As long as SE takes the game seriously and starts making things the way they should be. The game will be fine within 6 months to a year. If they don't, the game will die. Same can be said for any game really. I can't see them letting the FF name die in such a way, going out with such a pathetic whimper would be insulting to the name and would likely cause serious sales issues for them with future FF releases. Let's face it though, the FF name hasn't been the same since ps2.. What ever happened to the massive effects of summoning bahamut? The insane weapon skills of Barret dropping a laser beam from outerspace? we need that.. I miss that..

I have to disagree with you again though Dyft..
After playing every job past R 20 and seeing the real depth this game has to offer, I am really disappointed. I can live with nuggets and no sauce. I can't live with go here kill this, go there kill that, for every single thing. So far that's all I have seen. The same basic principle applied over and over. FFXIV may as well be a pretty rappelz as it is. These new boys better get to work and get at it quick. People will be droppin like flys if they don't.. I'm just being honest and I wish more people would be. If we keep blowing smoke up SE's azz as if things aren't that bad, what will they do? As little as possible, just like any corporation.
They need a wake up call.
You want to help? Grab a pen and paper and start taking notes of real problems in game, then send them to SE's suggestion site for this game. I spent well over a month taking notes so far and will continue to.

[Eorzea]

Made a small edit to your post, Bishop. Just trying to avoid any arguments.

There are indeed problems, but I think the game has come a long way over the past few months. Square Enix is also clearly aware they need to get their act together, hence their apologies and shuffling of the development team.

[Dapliran]

Maybe I missed something somewhere, but has anyone heard anything from the new team about what direction or possible changes, with some vague specifics, they are thinking about making to the game? I'm starting to get the feeling that SE has gone back into silent mode and making changes in hopes that it's the right ones instead of engaging the community and getting proper feedback. Because silent mode is one of the issues that gotten them to this point in the first place.

[Inaaca]

Bishop, on Dec 30, 2010 - 6:52 AM, said:

I'm just being honest and I wish more people would be. If we keep blowing smoke up SE's azz as if things aren't that bad, what will they do? As little as possible, just like any corporation.
They need a wake up call.

You don't think the massive backlash from fans and reviewers alike during the months after release wasn't a wake up call enough?

Judging from SE's numerous apologies and desperate measures to keep players (i.e. free months of play) I think it's pretty safe to say they got the message and are doing what they can as fast as they can manage.

Dapliran, on Dec 30, 2010 - 10:47 AM, said:

Maybe I missed something somewhere, but has anyone heard anything from the new team about what direction or possible changes, with some vague specifics, they are thinking about making to the game? I'm starting to get the feeling that SE has gone back into silent mode and making changes in hopes that it's the right ones instead of engaging the community and getting proper feedback. Because silent mode is one of the issues that gotten them to this point in the first place.

It has felt quiet on the Lodestone lately, but there was a recent 4Gamer interview with the new director (I haven't seen a good translation, so I won't post it) in which he stated that the new plan would be revealed on Jan 1st. So we should find out what they're planning very very soon.

[Momotaru]

I haven't played Monster Hunter (or FFXIV for that matter), but maybe the 'go here, kill this, go there, kill that' nature of the game is suppose to appeal to fans of that series?

A lot of games have been going for that, even Metal Gear, with Peace Walker, has been after it. With the raging success of Portable 3rd, Monster Hunter's influence is just getting started.

[Inaaca]

Okay, so I suppose the January 1st was more of a message than a reveal of a new plan. However, there is a player questionnaire on the Lodestone now. Everyone should definitely fill it out so their opinions are heard.