To celebrate the conclusion of Final Fantasy XIV's story arc of Hydaelyn and Zodiark, Square Enix has unveiled the newest Meister Quality figurine depicting the two entities of light and dark. While the memorabilia is an excellent addition to any display shelf, its asking price has left some fans scratching their heads, underwhelmed at its quality and included bonuses.
Square Enix has historically included codes for bonus in-game rewards like minions and emotes when purchasing official merchandise like the previously released Meister Quality figurines, art books, and copies of the Encyclopedia Eorzea series. Some fans buy these items solely for those exclusive in-game items — with the physical item required to obtain them being considered the "bonus." The unveiled Hydaelyn and Zodiark figurine follows Square Enix's trend by including a premier emote, but it has some questionable restrictions for such a steep price.
Fans who purchase the figure of Hydaelyn and Zodiark receive a code to redeem a copy of Ballroom Etiquette - Apocalyptic Charades in-game, granting access to the Sundering emote. The catch is only one character per account can receive the reward rather than being accessible account-wide. The community took to the announcement tweet's replies to vocalize how they hoped the flashy new emote emulating Hydaelyn would be granted to all their created characters, considering it's locked behind a $359.99 item. Restricting the emote to one character is a departure from Square Enix's norm, as the bonus rewards for the previous Meister Arts figure Omega could be retrieved by every character on the recipient's account with a cheaper price point of $229.99.
Others have expressed concern that the emote doesn't loop like its Omega predecessor, which allowed the Warrior of Light to float in the air while wielding a glowing blade. The last few seconds of the Sundering emote seen in the official preview show a similar floating effect, but the character quickly reverts to their idle stance. For a reward that comes alongside a nearly $400 purchase, one would hope that it would exceed expectations or match a similar quality to previous entries, at the very least.
Complaints toward the Sundering emote aside, the prominent issue members of the FFXIV community have with the latest Meister Arts figure is its asking price. While part of the price point could be attributed to limited availability and exclusivity to the 10th anniversary of A Realm Reborn, a 50 percent increase in its cost should hopefully reflect an increase in the make and quality of the item. The imagery of the figurine is stunning, but players have questioned if the price tag is worth it for memorabilia that doesn't seem any more detailed than the previous entry. Those who did make the purchase noted that, despite the high price, Square Enix did not offer any free shipping and handling for the Meister Arts figure, making the final price nearly $400 after taxes and fees.
The business decisions surrounding the new Meister Arts figure have been met with indifference and dismissal by members of FFXIV's player base, as many believe that the bonus emote and the figure itself are not worth such a high value. Some see wasted money, but others have seen value, as many have already expressed interest in the new item and showcased their preorder receipts. Only after it reaches their hands in March 2024 will fans who purchased the figure know if the depiction of Hydaelyn and Zodiark was a worthwhile purchase or a source of buyer's remorse.
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