In enhancing Campaign, Square-Enix admits what I've known all along...

So, Square-Enix finally had it's July update Campaign teaser today.

Shadowrealm-Northlands is confirmed.

Apparently, _TWO_ more levels of medals and gear will be put out with the next update (including the three cities' body pieces).

And, then, the admission by Square-Enix of what I basically knew all along: The player-base would defect to the Beastmen Confederate if they were given enough to do so.

The "Union" System.

Not that the concept is bad at all. Speak to a Campaign Arbiter while under the influence of an Allied Tag, choose to join the Union for this Campaign battle, and you're in.

As the battle proceeds, you must participate sufficiently in the battle to gain the ability to access the spoils of the Union System -- a coffer will drop (or multiple ones, not unlike Treasure Caskets and ANNM's) which will contain:

-- Dynamis currency (!!!)

-- Synthesis materials

-- and the "spoils of vanquished Beastmen Confederate captains

Basically, bribing the living shit out of the players to actually play Campaign again.

How bad has it gotten? Since the Fortification nerf, the number of people choosing to be in Campaign has dropped precipitously.

Last week:

Bastok: 3 zones.

San d'Oria: 4

Windurst: 1 (Yes, battles in Windurst Waters (S) last week on Leviathan.)

Beastmen: 13

A bit more back to normal this week (6-4-4-7), but that gives you an idea of what's been going on.

I don't expect them to throw 100-Bynes and Jadeshells and Silverpieces around that often, but I do suspect that the spoils will be major enough to make it "worth it" for people to actually take part in the battles. (I would be interested to see what actually constitutes "sufficient participation"...)