Final Fantasy 14 has grown a sizeable fanbase over the many years since its release, with a particularly high draw being the memorable world and characters. As with many popular games, some fans decide to pay tribute through expressive art, with one fan choosing to represent a character through cosplay.
Final Fantasy 14 took a different direction than the other games with its MMO structure, but at its core keeps the elements that make it a Final Fantasy game. One such element is of characters with personality and memorable designs, some of which are difficult to replicate with real-life fashion.
Undeterred by the difficulty of cosplaying, cosplayer Datura_Cereus manages to accurately capture the spirit of the Final Fantasy 14 character Gaia in a brilliantly realized outfit. The intention of Tetsuya Nomura's original character design is conveyed through carefully-picked gothic-inspired pieces that make up Datura's cosplay, complete with a massive hammer and a flowing cape. The hammer parallels Gaia's weapon from the game.
The art of cosplay is difficult to master, and it can take much more than a costume to make a good one. Knowledge of the character being cosplayed is paramount, as the expression, pose and general demeanor all play into creating a convincing cosplay in-character. Even taking only the hammer into account, other Final Fantasy characters may have held the weapon differently by resting it on the other shoulder or struggling to lift it. Gaia, however, brandishes the hammer with confidence, and that important detail is well represented by the casual, almost relaxed pose of the cosplay image.
Despite the game's age, Square Enix continues to support Final Fantasy 14 with regular content updates and expansion packs, the most recent being Endwalker. The Spotify debut of Final Fantasy 14 Shadowbringers' soundtrack also indicates the developers and artists still hold an interest in bringing the content to players even outside the context of the game. This naturally extends to cosplays as well; even those not actively playing Final Fantasy 14 may still recognize some of the character designs, as they hold such an iconic place in modern MMO gaming.
Final Fantasy cosplays are not new to the fan community, with many cosplays representing characters from a wide range of Final Fantasy games. With Final Fantasy 14 still receiving regular support and having an active fan community, cosplays are likely to continue for a long time. Neither the developers at Square Enix nor the fans show any signs of slowing down.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.