Big updates dropping for long-running games are always a big deal, but it’s hard to deny that the response to the patches for Final Fantasy XIV often lead to the most fervent clamouring. Following the tremendous critical and commercial response to Endwalker, this has been the case for each of the post-release patches, and with Patch 6.2 looming the community around the game is building up hype once more, especially following the recent Letter from the Producer Live.
This update will bring more quests for the main scenario, more side quests, a new dungeon, the next set of raids, more gear (which is utterly gorgeous by the way), and the farming sim side content, the Island Sanctuary. This was announced back when Endwalker was fully revealed and quickly became something that a lot of fans of the game – myself included – were looking forward to most in the whole expansion.
To promote the arrival of this long-awaited addition in 6.2, Square Enix teamed up with Mudchute Farm in London and produced a series of live streams (punnily branded as being from ‘Mogchute Farm’) from several of the animal enclosures. The idea is that people can get a real idea of how animals live on farms ahead of running their own one and just generally hoeing around in Hydaelyn. I was invited to join them ‘fur’ a day on the farm to have a look around and say hello to/pet the animals.
The group I was with had the pleasure of being shown around the farm by the owner, complete with in-depth explanations as to the purpose and day-to-day running of the place, both as a public attraction and a charity. For full (and knowingly odd) transparency, my favourite farm animals are piglets and I made an unimaginably piglet-like noise when I saw them. So, all very typical farm fare, if a little unexpected to find nestled neatly in a heavily metropolitan city like London.
More unexpected was getting to meet a chicken that has become a bonafide celebrity thanks to the community and the live streaming that Square Enix have been doing at the farm. Oh yes, I basked in the radiance of the hallowed “Zenos chicken” looking down on those below from his magnificent perch (pictured below). For those not in the know, this exuberant Barbu de Watermael Cockerel has been adopted with open arms by the community in the course of the week-long stream schedule.
What this has resulted in is that several folks have donated to the farm to officially change the name of the creature to match that of the foul (or should that be fowl?) antagonist of the MMORPG. This has then grown into fan art of the Zenos chicken, the typical memes that are produced by the community at the drop of a plume, and one wonderfully bemused farm owner that has warmly embraced the attention of the community.
I’ll tell you one thing though, and while it was entirely expected and perhaps even the point of the whole thing, I am now very excited for the Island Sanctuary to come to Final Fantasy XIV next week. I won’t be able to create an experience even close to that of Mudchute Farm – for one I am nowhere near that talented/creative – but it won’t stop me clucking about with it. Bring on the farm life, and just watch me lose my real life to it.
Sadly the week of streaming from Mudchute Farm has now come to an end, but you can watch the archived live streams here, and if you wanted more information on Mudchute Farm, including to support their work with a donation, visit: https://www.mudchute.org/.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Patch 6.2 goes live on Tuesday 23rd August 2022.
