Dive into the Spectacular World of Final Fantasy 14's Player-Run Aquarium with Festive Fish Trains and Colorful Pride festivities

In online games, when players come together to collaborate, the outcomes can be quite unexpected. This is particularly evident in the popular MMO, Final Fantasy 14, where the in-game community engages in various activities such as organizing concerts, participating in the Blitzball sport from Final Fantasy 10 to raise funds for charity, and even conducting real-life cooking classes. However, one aspect that truly brings out the community's creative ingenuity is the housing feature.

The housing system in Final Fantasy 14 allows players to design and create remarkable structures, although it does come with certain limitations. It was during a discussion on overcoming these limitations that Fruity Snacks, a well-known fisher in the game, stumbled upon one of the most ambitious player-driven projects in Eorzea: a sprawling aquarium that showcases every fish available in the game, either in tanks or as printed artworks. In a recent interview with Game Rant, Fruity elaborated on this colossal undertaking and the multitude of benefits it brings.

The Final Fantasy 14 Aquarium is not just a visually appealing attraction, but also a hub for various events. One notable event is the Aqueerium Pride event held on June 24. These events cover a wide range of topics, from tutorials on in-game fishing to exciting Fish Trains and more. The game has a strong community that frequently organizes player-made events, with concerts being particularly popular.

The very first event, called Sharkapalooza, took place about a year ago. Recognizing the community's expertise in fishing, the organizers decided to host an event where players could obtain their shark mounts. The aquarium basement was transformed into a presentation stage, with wall partitions resembling the online resources in the game. Before each voyage, a quick presentation was given, outlining what players would encounter in each zone. Additionally, aquarium volunteers partnered with participants, providing them with more detailed instructions while on the boat.

The Eorzea Aquarium has experienced immense success within the community since its opening over a year ago. This triumph has led to the establishment of a network of museums, hosted by players worldwide, that cover a diverse range of topics such as botany and the history of the game's world. Among these museums, a notable addition is a group of Final Fantasy 14 actors and playwrights. Undoubtedly, the focal point of the Eorzean Museum Network is the aquarium.

Support for the project was immediate, with numerous individuals offering their assistance in constructing the aquarium using the crafting and gathering classes within the game. Additionally, someone generously provided them with a house free of charge. After months of hard work, the grand opening finally arrived. On the first day alone, Fruity recorded over 1,000 unique players who visited the aquarium. The Free Company's message book, which had a capacity of 60 entries, was filled within just thirty minutes. Since travel between Final Fantasy 14's data centers was not yet feasible, people created new characters on the Crystal data center, adopting names such as "I'mhere Forfish" or "Aquarium Visitor," hailing not only from across North America but from around the globe as well.

Quickly, Fruity and his team recognized the demand for replicating the Eorzea Aquarium in various regions. Presently, the aquarium encompasses three primary branches – Aquarium Crystal serving North America servers, Aquarium Spriggan catering to European servers, and Aquarium Sophia catering to Oceania. To efficiently support this expansion, the team devised a solution known as "Aquariums in a Box," which comprised packages containing all the scarce resources required to establish an aquarium. These packages could be transported to newer servers that offered free transfers for Final Fantasy 14 characters.

Fruity, seeing the increasing success, wanted to give back to the Aquarium by supporting the development of more in-game museums and cultural institutions. This led to the founding of the Eorzea Museum Network (EMN). The EMN not only provides assistance in sourcing housing items and funding but also offers member museums a video advertisement created by EMN staff and other promotional support.

The inspiration for the Eorzean Museum Network came from the International Council of Museums (ICOM), which has a clear definition of what qualifies as a museum. Similar to ICOM, the EMN allows museum owners or those interested in building a museum to submit their venue and receive support. Whether it's building a new museum or seeking assistance with museum-related projects, the EMN is there to help with marketing, advertising, and acquiring necessary materials.

The Aqueerium Pride event in Final Fantasy 14 brings together fishing enthusiasts and art enthusiasts to celebrate and honor the vibrant LBGTQ+ community. The event, taking place on June 24 in North America, kicks off at 3 p.m. Eastern time at Aquarium Crystal, located on the Malboro server in the Lavender Beds ward 16, plot 59.

The European Fish Train departs from Aquarium Spriggan, located in ward 20, plot 34 of the Lavender Beds server, at 1:30 p.m. GMT.

The Oceania party takes place at Aquarium Sophia, situated in ward 1, plot 58 of the Lavender Beds server, at 5 p.m. Australia Eastern Time.

Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.