I know this is over a year later, but just want to say that while I never played FFXI in it's hayday,( played ffxiv for years though) but I just started FFXI on the Asura server and there's so many players, and glimpses of new story content coming. Just want to say the game is still very much alive and auction house areas and cities aren't dead! very fun so far, and feels like a very alive world.