The turn of the year is celebrated worldwide, often in the company of family and friends. Unfortunately, this year a gamer could not actively participate in the celebrations; instead, he logged into Final Fantasy XIV – where he celebrated a truly wonderful party with the community.
MMORPGs live and die by their community: whether it’s the dedicated raid guilds in World of Warcraft or the ambitious squads in Guild Wars 2. Final Fantasy XIV also has a mostly great community. For this, the game has been awarded several times, most recently in 2022 at the Golden Joystick Awards.
The great solidarity in the aforementioned MMORPG community particularly benefited one player over New Year’s Eve.
Which player is being talked about? On January 1, 2024, reddit user Shavelk_a posted in the Final Fantasy 14 Subreddit. He does not specify exactly where he lives, but in his culture, New Year’s Eve and New Year are just as important as Christmas is in Europe.
Unfortunately, Shavelk_a could not travel to his family due to a serious illness, and they could not visit him either. His friends also lied to him that nothing was planned.
To escape his loneliness, Shavelk_a eventually logged into Final Fantasy XIV. There, he visited Limsa Lominsa, the city hub with the most active players. Ultimately, at least in the game, Shavelk_a finally had a happy ending: he conversed with many other players and enjoyed the joint in-game celebrations.
For the player, this was probably exactly what he needed – at least according to his final words:
My heart felt warm because I escaped to my favorite place, in my favorite game, away from all the problems.
Shavelk_a via reddit, 01.01.2024
How did the community react? The Final Fantasy 14 reddit responded with many warm words. Thus, the thread reflects the well-known kindness of the players. Here are a few quotes:
- DayleD via reddit: It’s nice that the game was there for you. I hope you have a better 2024.
- Glaciousg1acx via reddit: I’m glad the events and the music helped you get through New Year’s Eve.
- PKMTrainerEevs via reddit: I’m sorry you’re going through a tough time, OP. May 2024 be much better for you.
Some also shared their stories about loneliness eased by the game:
- starborndreams via reddit: There was a New Year’s Eve during Covid when my friends and I couldn’t meet due to restrictions, so we all dressed up our characters and went to one of the role-playing bars to celebrate together there.
- RFairclough via reddit: I was alone on Christmas 2021, I had recently started playing FFXIV and decided to spend my time in Eorzea instead. As I wandered through Limsa, a tiny character dressed as Santa Claus approached me, gave me a companion and some snacks, and wished me a Merry Christmas along with some kind words before disappearing to brighten the holidays for others. I literally cried in front of my computer.
Final Fantasy 14 rightfully deserves to be called an MMORPG with one of the best communities. This example demonstrates that once again. However, it also has its darker sides: A popular YouTuber of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is being harassed so severely because of a video that he is stepping back
