The launch ofFinal Fantasy 14’s latest expansion,Endwalker, hasn’t gone perfectly smoothly. Its popularity has led to widespread login errors and lengthy queue times. Luckily, those issues are clearing up due to recent efforts by the development team at Square Enix, and even when they were at their worst theFinal Fantasy 14community kept its indomitable positivity. One such example has to do with the embrace of a certainEndwalkerfield of grapes, which remains strong even after Square Enix tried to put the meme to bed.
Endwalker’s grapes became an immediate meme when theFinal Fantasy 14expansion launchedearlier in December. Found in the new Labyrinthos region, the grapes are briefly but prominently displayed as part ofEndwalker’s main questline. What stands out about these grapes is their low-polygon visuals. They were impressively low quality andFinal Fantasy 14fans loved that. Square Enix, however, took it somewhat personally and updated the grapes inEndwalker’s new patch.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 14 Fans Are Furious at Grubhub for its Messy Pizza Emote Promotion
What was initially feared to be a goodbye to a key memorable part of theEndwalkerexperiencehas only taken on a new dynamic, however. While the grapes may have more dimension to them, they’re still impressively un-grape-like. It begs the question as to whether Square Enix has ever seen a bunch of grapes before. Adding polygons doesn’t always solve a problem.
TheFinal Fantasy 14communityis embracing the changes to the grapes with as much enthusiasm and humor as it did the low-polygon grapes from launch. “They’re roundish now,” said oneFinal Fantasy 14player. Another captured the moment, saying, “they are BARELY better lmaoooo.” The new grapes may end up being turned into as much of a meme as the old grapes were, based on the initial reaction to them.
With that said, the love for the original grapes stands strong within theFinal Fantasy 14community. Many, if not most, ofFinal Fantasy 14’s most dedicated playershave already played through the questing area where the grapes are found and are unlikely to go back. As such, they recall the weird, low-poly grapes and may never see the new grapes. For them, the patch notes only cement the legacy of the low-polygon grapes in their memory.
Grapes may be a common focus for manyFinal Fantasy 14fans, but the recent update forEndwalkerprovided a variety of substantial changes and new content. The first wing ofEndwalker’s Pandaemonium raid is now unlocked and with it the strongest tier of armor yet. Grapes aside, there’s a lot forFinal Fantasy 14players to be excited about. Hopefully, Square Enix will start selling the game again soon so new players can join in on the fun, too.
Final Fantasy 14is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
MORE:Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker Shows The Limits Of a Nation Built On Conquest
