I'm good, thanks though.
The AI song was kinda cringe but that's maybe just me.
Controversial take - I rather support the game while it's still being supported before any potential private servers with (more often than not) corrupt server owners.
It really was cringe. And I don't see this as a controversial take at all. Retail is getting more credible updates now and it feels more supported than it has for a long time. Devs are also trying to make it easier for returning players.
Having that peace of mind that you're not getting your private messages, IP address and passwords used against you is why I'd never touch anything like this. And honestly, playing a nostalgia-fuelled, bastardized version of an era I think is way overhyped (I was there) is pretty lame.
Fair enough if you want to go back to the 75 days, but it is in the past. Sure, we go back and play old games and they're nicely preserved, but what made FFXI great back then wasn't the content. It was the people. The friends and groups we did things with along the way. This was and is the only MMORPG I have ever played and am ever likely to because of the people. The content is secondary.
If you're looking for more of that, you can still find new friends on retail. It completely baffles me why anyone would want to go back to content like old HNMs, Beastmen stronghold raids or whatever else. There's less to think about from a strategy perspective because jobs and enemies were more basic. You simply copy the same old strats and win.
The only reason I can see why anyone would want to play private is because they're super cheap. The kind of players who stick to downloading free games like Roblox and Fortnite on their consoles while pirating every other game on PC. If players truly care about the real FFXI, they'll pay the cheap monthly sub and enjoy the actual game in its entirety, while knowing they are safe from being exploited.