Final Fantasy XI just got one of the most bittersweet tributes in its very long life. A 91‑year‑old Japanese player who adventured in Vana’diel for nearly two decades has passed away, and Square Enix has publicly acknowledged her time in the game with a message of condolence to her family and friends.
According to Automaton’s report, the news surfaced after the woman’s granddaughter posted about her death and her long history with FFXI, describing how she played for roughly 20 years and was active right up until her health declined. The post spread quickly among Japanese players, many of whom recognized her character name and shared memories of grouping with her over the years. She had become a familiar presence on her home server, in the way only an MMO that’s been running since 2002 can allow.
Developers on the FFXI team noticed the attention and responded. Producer Yoji Fujito and director Yoji Akimasa (via the game’s official channels) sent condolences and thanked her for devoting so much of her time to the world they built. The message resonated with long‑time players, who pointed out this is the same game they grew up with as teens and college students, now quietly sharing space with retirees and, in this case, someone who stuck with it into her nineties.
Community reaction has been exactly what you would expect from an MMO that’s outlived whole console generations: a lot of people sharing stories of older relatives who played with them, or of friends who disappeared from their friend lists and were later confirmed to have passed away. Some FFXI players even talked about logging back in specifically to pay respects or visit old hangout spots, treating her passing as a reminder that these worlds only exist because people keep showing up.
Source: Automaton West
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