In the world of Final Fantasy 14, one emote stands above the rest as particularly sought-after. But perhaps not anymore.
The once-rare 'eat pizza' emote, once locked behind a US-exclusive GrubHub campaign a couple of years back, is now available to buy via the game's online store. It's joined by the 'Pepperoni Pizza Set' furnishing as one of two new items added to the service this month.
That means players can purchase the emote now, via official means, for just $7 / £4. And it's no longer barred behind any kind of promotional campaign. Typically, once an item hits the Final Fantasy 14 online store, it stays there for good.
New optional items have been added to the #FFXIV Online Store!Show off your sheer delight after snacking on a delicious slice of pizza with the Eat Pizza emote, and more!🍕 https://t.co/s5277tMfYX pic.twitter.com/ctb4ckuV1CNovember 20, 2023
The emote, and its accompanying GrubHub campaign from December 2021, were quite controversial at the time the promotion was happening. Players had to order at least $15 worth of food via the GrubHub app (not counting tips or delivery fees, of course) and use a promo code at checkout to obtain the emote.
All well and good so far. But, as the emote was distributed as a code that first had to be redeemed, some players decided to flip the code at a significant markup. Over at eBay, the emote was successfully sold for upwards of $200, technically making it one of the rarest and most expensive Final Fantasy 14 emotes ever; just, you know, not in the way the developers intended.
Hopefully, in the future, if Square Enix wants to offer emotes and items through promotional events, it can find outlets in multiple regions to ensure a wider group of players can obtain them without having to wait two years for them to pop up on the online store.
Final Fantasy 14's next major expansion, Dawntrail, is due to launch in 'Summer 2024,' bringing with it an entirely new storyline, playable jobs, and a much-anticipated visuals and lighting overhaul.
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It's not just pizzas that are on sale this month, as Black Friday gaming deals are now live. Consider browsing our guides to all the best Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox Series X deals for a wide range of stellar discounts.
Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.