Since the release of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (FFXIV) patch 6.1, there has been a lot of discussion in social media regarding the checkpoint(s) in the new FFXIV Ultimate Raid. Specifically, it is the checkpoint after phase 1. For those not familiar, a checkpoint means that once you complete a certain phase, when your party wipes, the fight will start again at that phase, or checkpoint.
There have been raids with checkpoints in the past, usually in raid fights with long and difficult encounters. Prior to the Dragonsong’s Reprise (Ultimate) raid, it was most recently in Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle (Savage).
The controversy is there because this is the first time a checkpoint has been introduced in an Ultimate raid. Ultimates are considered to be the hardest fights in FFXIV. Many in social media consider this a watering down of the difficulty of the fight and does not belong in an Ultimate which they consider to be the ultimate test of skill for the game.
On the other side of the issue is for the game’s accessibility. There are those that argue that many raid groups get stuck in the first phases of the previous Ultimates and the checkpoint gives them something to look forward to and an incentive to continue with progressing in the raid.