FFXI devs honor 91-year-old grandma who played for nearly two decades

A 91-year-old Final Fantasy XI player who logged in for nearly two decades has died, and both the FFXI community and its developers have shared their condolences.

Final Fantasy XI launched in 2002 and has maintained a dedicated following for more than two decades across multiple platforms. However, one of its most avid players was a 91-year-old Japanese grandma who enjoyed playing the MMO for nearly 20 years.

The story was spotted by Automaton after a tribute post from the player’s grandson quickly went viral on social media.

In a heartfelt message shared on X, her grandson confirmed she passed away on February 3, and the post quickly drew attention from long-time FFXI fans and even attracted replies from those involved in the game’s development.

FFXI devs respond to loss of grandma who loved game

“On Tuesday, February 3, my beloved grandmother passed away at the age of 91. Up until her health declined, she was a veteran player of FFXI for nearly 20 years. She watched me play since the beta version. I bet she’s adventuring through the world of Vana’diel with Mimi (her dog) right now,” reads the post on X.

The grandson’s Tweet reached Final Fantasy XI game designer Kensuke Shimoda, who responded with a tribute: “May she rest in peace. As one of the original development team members, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for playing.”

Composer Kumi Tanioka also paid her respects, reflecting on the player’s long commitment: “Thank you for journeying through Vana’diel for nearly twenty years. I do hope you are enjoying yourself in heaven. If you have been reborn in Vana’diel, I should love to know if you occasionally hear music being carried on the wind. May you rest in peace.”

This isn’t the first time developers and communities have paid tribute to the lives of players and creators. Helldivers 2 devs previously responded to a viral tribute for a fallen fan, while World of Warcraft players honored the founder of a long-running resource site.