Final Fantasy 14 has stayed relevant over the years since its launch for a variety of reasons, one of them being the frequent updates and expansions Square Enix has delivered. Some of the most well-known updates have been to the game's character creator, such as a recent one that allowed fans to finally step into the shoes of female Hrothgar and male Viera. Now, one Final Fantasy 14 player is taking advantage of the robust character creator to play as a cat version of Austin Powers.
Fans of spy dramas and classic comedies may be familiar with Austin Powers, a parody of classic 60s espionage characters like James Bond and Harry Palmer. The character is well known for his florid dress sense and playfully cheesy sense of humor. Combined with his iconic costuming decisions, glasses, and fluffy hair, he makes for an easily recognizable face, even in a video game.
A Twitter account called Austin Paw'wers recently popped up and began sharing images of a Warrior of Light clearly modeled after Austin Powers, but as a cat boy. Specifically, the character in question is a Miqo'te dressed in what seems to be a blue velvet suit, complete with a cravat. This isn't the first time video game fans have brought Austin Powers into a beloved franchise, but it may be one of the most cleverly executed.
The Austin Paw'wers account appears to be quite dedicated to reimagining Austin Powers as a Miqo'te warrior. This includes changing the spy's catchphrase from "Yeah, baby," to "Nya, baby." Austin Paw'wers' account description cheerfully calls the character Eithyris' International Man of Mystery, right above an admission that the Twitter account is a meme account. The first post made by the account showed Austin Paw'wers striking the iconic "nya" pose by balling up his hands into paws and placing them under this head. If these images are anything to go by, the Final Fantasy 14 character creator may be even more detailed than some thought.
It appears that the Austin Paw'wers account may have been inspired by a piece of fan art from a Twitter account called Worthi. The art in question was a cartoony sketch of Austin Powers with cat ears striking a feline pose. This piece also appears to be where the "Nya, baby" catchphrase alteration comes from. Several users have replied to the original Austin Paw'wers post congratulating them on creating such a fun character design.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.