The darkest days of the FFXIV housing lottery may be behind us, but a new Patch 6.2 NPC comes ready to collect on the system’s mistakes. In this week’s Final Fantasy XIV update, Empyreum’s Housing Lottery Clerk makes their debut with a small favor to ask — if you scored a house for free, give the Gil back, please.
For context, the new FFXIV housing lottery system made its chaotic debut earlier this year with Patch 6.1. The initial Entry Period allowed players to place their bids on their dream homes with a full Gil deposit, and everything seemingly went off without a hitch. However, when the Results Period began, some homeowner hopefuls crowding into Ishgard’s new ward wound up with glitched lottery numbers.
Specifically, the errors reported some plots’ winning numbers as zero and stated no one entered the lottery. Except, people did enter. A lot of people entered. So, FFXIV housing sales paused.
Fast forward a few days, director and producer Naoki Yoshida announced they had a solution. And, long story short, FFXIV eventually restored the correct lottery results from that period. Players who should’ve won could claim their house, while others could go ahead and grieve another housing loss. However, if you discovered you were a plot’s winner and had already retrieved the Gil deposit, you could still claim the land. That means some players scored a house for free.
Yoshida said FFXIV wouldn’t issue a rollback for the Gil, especially after considering how stressful the whole ordeal was. Instead, the director announced a new NPC planned for Patch 6.2 that would accept voluntary deposit returns from those who lucked out thanks to the lottery error. Right. Voluntary refunds; millions of Gil you can keep or give back. Just to be clear, if anyone ever accidentally gave me 50 million Gil, they would never see it again.
So with Patch 6.2 upon us, the notes list Ishgard’s Housing Lottery Clerk as the NPC trying to appeal to your inner goody two shoes. If you were among those free house winners, you can find the clerk in Empyreum (X:10.2 Y:10.2) to return your accidental refund voluntarily.
In exchange for the good deed, FFXIV‘s preliminary patch notes reveal you’ll receive an item. Unfortunately, the Lodestone doesn’t mention specifics with a name or function just yet. However, the update summary does include a picture of three posters, two with a Namazu and one featuring a Lalafell.
They all appear to be apologizing, so that makes them cute. Just not, like, “I’m willing to part with a 50 million Gil” kinda cute.
Whether or not these items remain exclusive to players impacted by the glitch is a big unknown for now. Of course, FFXIV could add these items as another massive luxury sink. But they’re supposed to be an apology and extra thanks for returning your deposit. Either way, the approach is bizarre.
Even as someone who shoveled out their Gil, I think these folks should just keep their deposit. FFXIV‘s housing lottery isn’t even the problem here; it’s a bandaid on a system strained by demand. It can’t keep up in its current state and satisfy everyone who wants in.
Anyway, I’m trying to say: Good on FFXIV for letting lucky players keep their Gil; I’m just baffled by the NPC and posters. Y’all do you, of course. But if I were in your shoes, I’d take my pretend play money and buy a new mount. FFXIV housing is a big enough headache; enjoy your W.
