In a delightful turn of events, Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival attendees can rejoice as the iconic low-poly grapes make a triumphant comeback, this time in the form of real-life merchandise.
Two years ago, the Final Fantasy 14 community mourned the loss of these beloved grapes when a developer update from Square Enix smoothed out their charmingly rough edges, leaving many hearts broken. However, the viral low-poly grapes have now been immortalized as squishable cushions, and lucky attendees of The Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in Las Vegas have the opportunity to snag them in an exclusive goody bag.
The Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas is right around the corner!
We're excited to showcase the IRL loot attendees will receive as part of their ticket to the event! ✨ https://t.co/63PGa95UMupic.twitter.com/yX9XDsjHaW
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) June 30, 2023
Final Fantasy 14 grapes
The Square Enix website describes the real-life jagged grapes as a means to “relieve any lingering stress after hours of farm parties,” ensuring that fans can reconnect with the nostalgia of the low-resolution aesthetic. The introduction of these distinctive obelisk fruits was part of the MMO’s Endwalker expansion, and they quickly gained adoration from the community, inspiring fan art and countless memes.
In the website the company also added, “If you’re ever feeling a little low resolution, simply grab your squishable grapes and remember what once was“.
With the physical grapes now available, enthusiasts can squeeze them tightly, recapturing the essence of the good old days. For those unable to attend the festival, it is likely that the squishy grapes will find their way to online resellers, albeit at inflated prices. Hopefully, Square Enix will eventually offer the merchandise for official sale.
Although the grapes met an untimely demise in the game itself, their legacy lives on through persistent memes. Recently, producer Naoki Yoshida was asked about the presence of low-poly grapes in the recently released Final Fantasy 16.
To the dismay of jagged grape fans worldwide, Yoshida responded that he “checked the grape quality in Final Fantasy 16 and made sure it was perfect“. The grape-related humor continues to follow Yoshida, reinforcing the enduring impact of these unique fruits.
What else can fans expect from the festival?
Apart from the squishable grapes, The Final Fantasy Festival offers attendees an array of other exciting goodies. Among them are a grey crossbody bag, an adorable Loporrit carrot pen, Azem’s crystal keychain, a Grebuloff magnet, and a 10th-anniversary pin. The festival’s offerings celebrate the game’s rich history and provide fans with tangible mementos of their adventures in the realm of Eorzea.
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker has made its mark not only through its captivating storyline and immense popularity but also by immortalizing the infamous low-poly grapes. While the game itself has experienced remarkable success, with Square Enix even temporarily pulling it from sale to address overwhelming demand, it is the enduring charm of these grapes that has captured the hearts of players.
As the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival approaches, fans eagerly anticipate further announcements and surprises. With the game’s 10th anniversary on the horizon, the festivities promise to be a celebration of both past achievements and exciting new chapters in the beloved franchise.
If you are looking for any kinds of Final Fantasy goodies that you can put your hands on, make sure to check out the quite impressive Puma’s Final Fantasy shoe collection.
Featured Image: Credit
