Is it too late to start playing again?Follow

So it's been a long time since I've played FFXI, Five years I believe, and I never got terribly far to begin with (my highest job level was 21 if I recall). Recently I decided I'd like to dive back in however after wasting too much of my time in WoW and discovering FFXIV is going to be a broken mess for awhile. So a friend and I started new accounts and made new characters on Diabolos.

My friend's already bailed on me. I've brought a couple jobs up to level 11 however (MNK and WAR) and I'm currently sitting in the Valkurm Dunes.

Here seems to lie the problem: There's no one here. It's a ghost town. Has the game died as far as low level progression is concerned? I understand why it would have but I'm hoping I'm just logging in at slow hours (thus far I've tried 10:00PM and 10:00AM EST). I really want to give this game a another shot. I have very fond memories of it and I'm really enjoying myself and noticing how much more I really loved this game and the world in comparison to my time spent in WoW. I don't want to be logging in and waiting for two hours to form a party though.

Am I too late? Has this ship sailed? If not what are people doing to grind low level jobs these days and when is the ideal time to logged on to do it?

I posted this same thread over in the general forum. I got a lot of really helpful answers, you should give it a read.

Things have most certainly changed.

It's never too late guys.

Look up some linkshells for new and returning players in your server-specific forums. There are probably linkshells on every server that are currently active and welcoming to new and returning players. You really do need to get a linkshell in order to fully experience what the game has to offer: i'm referring to a cohesive sense of community.

Honestly, what FFXI really needs is more people to start playing and stick with it. The in-game economy, ironically, is founded upon new players who eke out the meager living that is farming drops and killing low level mobs. They produce raw materials which higher-leveled crafters like myself need to make stuff.

Don't quit or give up on FFXI! The game doesn't even START till you get to at least level 30. You don't even have access to 2% of the entire game before that point. Make it to 30 then tell me if you can't get yourself immersed in the environment~~

Good luck, and happy hunting! Find me on Diabolos or Titan as Satetsu and Terrato.
Or on Steam i'm Simmercross.