Have there been any NPC kiss scenes in this game?

There have been plenty of npc couples and and a wedding kiss scene for players but I dont remember any NPC's kissing each other or the player. Just a weird thought I wanted to share. I know Vamp Fatale kisses the camera but that's all i recall.

Any you'd like to see? I feel like poor Ameliance is definately missing some attention from her husband and I'm eagerly awaiting Runar and shtola's reunion :)

None as far as I'm aware (even the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding pulls the camera view right back when the player and their partner goes for the kiss, and then only if the player chose the ceremony officiated by moogles, the other two choices have no kissing depicted at all).

And there is a cultural reason for this - in Japan kissing traditionally is considered a highly intimate act only done in private, so much so a married couple will not even kiss each other in front of their children, so for cultural reasons in FFXIV kissing is not generally shown for that reason. In Western countries though this might be considered a little prudish, but this is a Japanese game so Japanese cultural norms filter through into it.

Hmm while im not certain japanese culture to be the sole reason I could understand that. It's not a big deal i dont need more make outs in the game but with the raunchy outfits in the game and Implicit boss lyrics/ designs like in the arcadion match 2 and 9, I think it's weird that a simple kiss, not all out mouth nonsense but little pecks are too taboo? Such and odd double standard isn't it? Again not a big deal becasue its not a game where that would matter but I'm still curious what everyone thinks about it and secretly wishes for.

im more disappointed aboug the rare hugs. there are hugs in the game, but only if the characters have fitting sizes to each other. but there were so many moments various characters needed a hug.

but the wol is just like: 'i might be a lala or roe so they cant afford to nake me hug you. sry sad one.'

Square Enix is notoriously bad at having any two separate models actually touch in a cutscene. It's a problem that goes back decades.

I would rather not be any hugging/kissing in this game.

- First straight people will want opposite-gender romances in game.
- Then people will pressure Yoshi P into making it.
- Then people like me will ask for queer same-gender romances.
- Then the forums would scream "woke!"
- Then there will be fights.
- Then the moderators will start issuing bans for violating the TOS.

It's all just a waste of time.

Better that none of us have it than only some people having it.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

And there is a cultural reason for this - in Japan kissing traditionally is considered a highly intimate act only done in private, so much so a married couple will not even kiss each other in front of their children, so for cultural reasons in FFXIV kissing is not generally shown for that reason. In Western countries though this might be considered a little prudish, but this is a Japanese game so Japanese cultural norms filter through into it.

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??? A lot of FF have kissing scenes, what are you on about.

There's no kissing in FFXIV because it's too much work animating 2 characters touching and at different heights.

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Originally Posted by Reginald_Cain

Hmm while im not certain japanese culture to be the sole reason I could understand that. It's not a big deal i dont need more make outs in the game but with the raunchy outfits in the game and Implicit boss lyrics/ designs like in the arcadion match 2 and 9, I think it's weird that a simple kiss, not all out mouth nonsense but little pecks are too taboo? Such and odd double standard isn't it? Again not a big deal becasue its not a game where that would matter but I'm still curious what everyone thinks about it and secretly wishes for.

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It's not a double standard, it's a different standard.
It would be a double standard to the average westerner, sure. But values are different in different places.

Plenty of scenes of characters puckering up, but they tend to end with comedic falls/slaps/cutaways.

And I don't really pay much mind to NPC couples/don't engage in shipping so I can't say there's anyone I want to see playing tonsil hockey with each other.

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Originally Posted by Moqi

??? A lot of FF have kissing scenes, what are you on about.

There's no kissing in FFXIV because it's too much work animating 2 characters touching and at different heights.

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This. It's a lot easier to align models if you're doing pre-rendered cutscenes or just cutscenes in general where you are in control of all factors to make it work properly.

XIV's height slider is the first problem, because even an inch difference and suddenly the faces don't align properly anymore.
So they could technically do it, but only for two NPCs with fixed height, fixed proportions (which would be their race in this case) and on fixed terrain that can all be accounted for. That animation would then only work with those exact same conditions, so not exactly the most efficient use of resources.

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Originally Posted by Veritas-Ancora

I would rather not be any hugging/kissing in this game.

- First straight people will want opposite-gender romances in game.
- Then people will pressure Yoshi P into making it.
- Then people like me will ask for queer same-gender romances.
- Then the forums would scream "woke!"
- Then there will be fights.
- Then the moderators will start issuing bans for violating the TOS.

It's all just a waste of time.

Better that none of us have it than only some people having it.

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I mean in a game where you can get married to the same gender It would be kinda funny that people would scream woke about it but then again it's 2026 any sort of gay person existing ever is a problem to people like that which sucks because I rather games/media actually not be afraid of showing non-straight relationships. I personally rather SE not be afraid of writing in a story line or plot point that might upset these people who sound off woke alarms over anyone lgbtq+ existing lol.

As for a Kiss I couldn't care less personally, I mostly just want the story to be good as DT was a letdown.

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Originally Posted by Asari5

im more disappointed aboug the rare hugs. there are hugs in the game, but only if the characters have fitting sizes to each other. but there were so many moments various characters needed a hug.

but the wol is just like: 'i might be a lala or roe so they cant afford to nake me hug you. sry sad one.'

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Yeah the hug emotes really need a fix I agree.

And i thought me asking for the WoL and one person in the scions to be on a fake date (for those who wanna do it) or hanging out (if people don't like the fake dating) for quest, to catch someone. Or get some information was weird

Yoshi-P has never had any qualms about queer representation in his games. If anything, it's the opposite.

There were gay adventurer NPCs as early as in ARR, then we got G'raha written "like that" no matter your WoL's race and gender, then we got Ryne and Gaia (with Gaia a canon lesbian and was lovers with Mitron even when Mitron was female in the past), THEN we got Dion and Terrance in FFXVI, who do have an on screen kiss.

So yeah, it's cutscene budget. I bet the devs would love to give the WoL opportunities for some more physical moments but just can't.

Honestly kind of wish teh ceremony of eternal bonding got an update to it, or more options to pick better decor if you have the more expensive option

Did not Hildibrand kiss someone on accident?

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

So yeah, it's cutscene budget. I bet the devs would love to give the WoL opportunities for some more physical moments but just can't.

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It being a budget issue is certainly believable given the massive amount of possible combinations they have to account for between gender, race, height, and of course with NPCs involved they would need to cover a wide range of preferences as everyone doesn't want to snog the same characters.

The wedding Ceremony is the closest you will get, and a few hilarious moments probably from the Manderville questline.
Keeping things interpretive is how the game has carried itself so far; it's like how folks can theorize that hand-holding from any duet establishes romantic interest, even go so far as to say that there's enough "sexual tension" to warrant that assumption, but until it is absolutely established by the company and/or developing team that a duet is actually romantically interested, then they aren't (and this is by design). They'll litter just enough breadcrumbs to keep you guessing without giving you an answer because fence-sitting is the safest route. In this way, what you interpret is reality as long as there's enough ambiguity surrounding your personal narrative. It's why it's comical to watch the fanbase growl at each other about straight or gay couples existing in the game, because in the end all that matters is your interpretation of the gray area spread amongst the facts-that-be, not how you can convince others of your personal headcanon no matter how probable it MIGHT be. It's futile, but it definitely happens.

I doubt we'd get to see Y'shtola and Runar seal the deal, but my interpretation is that they have a thing for each other and Runar impressed her with his blunt adoration for her, meanwhile Magnai can't catch a break since you can't really catch starlight; you have to let it shine on you for it to reflect.

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Originally Posted by Zelda206

The wedding Ceremony is the closest you will get, and a few hilarious moments probably from the Manderville questline.

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And the wings in the ceremony is how they overcome all the permutations and combinations of WoLs. These things are difficult to animate.

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Keeping things interpretive is how the game has carried itself so far; it's like how folks can theorize that hand-holding from any duet establishes romantic interest, even go so far as to say that there's enough "sexual tension" to warrant that assumption, but until it is absolutely established by the company and/or developing team that a duet is actually romantically interested, then they aren't (and this is by design).

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I prefer it this way. That ALSO allows people who read something else that isn't romantic but nevertheless just as intimate into an NPC relationship to stand. Everything isn't a choice between "they're fucking" and "it's all business", despite what all of fandom and in some cases society would have us believe.

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meanwhile Magnai can't catch a break since you can't really catch starlight; you have to let it shine on you for it to reflect.

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Well...to get headcanony, that's because Sadu is his Nhaama. So sorry Azim, better luck next reincarnation; she's totally eclipsed Little Sun on this go-round.

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Originally Posted by Reginald_Cain

Just a weird thought I wanted to share.

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Intrusive thoughts are hitting you hard these days.

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Originally Posted by Zelda206

I doubt we'd get to see Y'shtola and Runar seal the deal, but my interpretation is that they have a thing for each other and Runar impressed her with his blunt adoration for her, meanwhile Magnai can't catch a break since you can't really catch starlight; you have to let it shine on you for it to reflect.

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I think the Y'shtola & Runar thing is a perfect example of why the developers will probably never let us romance existing major NPCs.

Some people want her, some people want him, and some people want them together, so they would need to account for cutscenes/dialogue letting all three of these possible outcomes happen and be "canon" depending on a player's decisions.

More than likely if we ever get romance options, it'll be new NPCs created for just that purpose, though some might "take cues" from existing characters to appeal to certain wants. We wouldn't get actual Y'shtola and Runar, but NPCs that have similar personalities/appearances among an assortment of female Miqo'te and male Hrothgar choices.

If they added romance in the game proper and didn't include the Scions, there would be riots.

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Originally Posted by Canadane

It's not a double standard, it's a different standard.
It would be a double standard to the average westerner, sure. But values are different in different places.

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Ok dude I lived in jp for 6 months and im pretty sure my buddy taisei san would agree having songs that say "my hips are poison and waiting to collide" or " im sinister all over your skin in lace and leather and I don't need a safe word honey" along side galateas g**p suit on the cash shop and 2b butt implants in the same game where kissing is too lewd is weird.

Well, there's Bradford and his girl in the Golden Saucer...

https://i.imgur.com/8FiEy70.png

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

If they added romance in the game proper and didn't include the Scions, there would be riots.

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There's also people that would riot if you COULD romance the Scions as some people consider the twins strictly off-limits because of their age, as well as Krile and Tataru because they're Lalafells, lol. While I'm not adverse to letting all of the Scions be romance options (whiners be damned), my concern would be if they're the ONLY options (because SE would be lazy like that), and then the choices get reduced further somehow. As it stands we only have 5 female (if we're being generous and counting Lyse) and 5 male Scions, but...

A lot of people ick out over Alisaie's age, Krile and Tataru's race, desperately want Y'shtola paired with someone else more than any other Scion, and they may not even count Lyse anymore.

Meanwhile some people only get uppity over Alphinaud's age, while others collectively thrist over some combination of Thancred, Urianger, Estinien, and G'raha

As far as straight male or gay female WoLs go, there's a risk of ending up with very few if any choices among the Scions unless Square-Enix just ignores anyone that might get upset plus gives us back Lyse. Even then, one might still consider the female options lacking compared to male when one isn't a combatant and the other is off somewhere else if you want them to tag along in Trusts or the MSQ. (Incidentally, you can never have an "all-female" Trust group because there's none in the tank or healer role.)

And I'm sure there's gay male and straight female WoLs who aren't impressed with their offerings either despite how popular a lot of those guys are. Folks of other genders/non-genders and sexuality may likewise not feel like they're eating good.

Personally speaking... Y'shtola is the only one I would humor based on preferences, and she's the biggest flight risk into someone else's arms if the writers go that route, lol.

Ideally the Scions would be included of course, but any sort of romance options has to REALLY expand the overall choices because those 10 alone just aren't going to be enough for one reason or another.

I do find it odd that any suggestion of a system like this always has that "ick, I don't want to date a Lalafell" but then takes no consideration that players with Lalafell avatars would be engaging with such a system with identical expectations as players of other races. The game never writes Lalafell characters as the kid-coded squick monsters that some players view them as, and it *seems* that Japanese players do not have that attitude towards Lalafell and think they're just cute.

So yeah, there are issues here.

Personally my "realistic" hope is for some sort of affinity quest series that allows our WoL to have some unique one on one side quest series. They don't even need to be explicitly romantic in any way (which may be the better route so all allies can be included) and new characters or old side characters could get them as time goes on.

But, honestly, my imagination works just fine so I generally don't need any explicit romantic quest series in game and it always comes off like a potential story mine field no matter how it's cooked.

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Originally Posted by Zelda206

I doubt we'd get to see Y'shtola and Runar seal the deal, but my interpretation is that they have a thing for each other and Runar impressed her with his blunt adoration for her.

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We won't - the Waifu Warriors would never tolerate that and to be honest, I feel they left some ambiguity around how much of their relationship is one-sided.

And so far as the other Scions are concerned - the number of content creators on YouTube who consider G'raha to be their husband seems quite high.

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

I do find it odd that any suggestion of a system like this always has that "ick, I don't want to date a Lalafell" but then takes no consideration that players with Lalafell avatars would be engaging with such a system with identical expectations as players of other races. The game never writes Lalafell characters as the kid-coded squick monsters that some players view them as, and it *seems* that Japanese players do not have that attitude towards Lalafell and think they're just cute.

So yeah, there are issues here.

Personally my "realistic" hope is for some sort of affinity quest series that allows our WoL to have some unique one on one side quest series. They don't even need to be explicitly romantic in any way (which may be the better route so all allies can be included) and new characters or old side characters could get them as time goes on.

But, honestly, my imagination works just fine so I generally don't need any explicit romantic quest series in game and it always comes off like a potential story mine field no matter how it's cooked.

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Some people have a harder time than others separating reality from fiction. Which is extra funny because the same ones that will get up on their soapbox and tell you "Lalafells are literally children" and then try to equate fictional actions to some kind of real life crime will turn a blind eye to everything they do that seems highly dubious, up to and including their own willingness to wantonly kill NPCs. By their own logic, they're mass murderers, and in the court of "thought crime" they would be getting locked up too.

But yeah, a general affinity side questline works too, if only to pull certain characters out of the mothballs and let them hang out with us again. Amusingly, said characters have the best chance of being turned into romance options because they're not heavily involved with anything (or anyone) else.
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Originally Posted by Carin-Eri

We won't - the Waifu Warriors would never tolerate that and to be honest, I feel they left some ambiguity around how much of their relationship is one-sided.

And so far as the other Scions are concerned - the number of content creators on YouTube who consider G'raha to be their husband seems quite high.

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To be fair, if they paired off Y'shtola to Runar, there wouldn't really be any "waifus" left in the Scions. I know I wouldn't have anyone to pick from anyway, unless her departure to the First includes another Miqo'te gal to replace her. Personally speaking, I can think of a few job/role quest NPCs I wouldn't mind filling her spot in the Scions... including Y'mhitra.

And there's people here who consider G'raha's English VA himself their husband and there was a whole topic obsessing over him like he had been kidnapped, lol.

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Originally Posted by Asari5

im more disappointed aboug the rare hugs. there are hugs in the game, but only if the characters have fitting sizes to each other. but there were so many moments various characters needed a hug.

but the wol is just like: 'i might be a lala or roe so they cant afford to nake me hug you. sry sad one.'

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I don't see how the WoL couldn't hug someone as a Roe or Lala. They'd just need to animate it a little different.

Been to some Eternal Bonds before with different genders and races. But there was this one Eternal Bond where the male Hrothgar couples lips weren't touching each other, but more like their snouts where slightly behind (from the side).
(Not sure if it's the same for female Hrothgars as it's been a while since I last had an invite on my world.)

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Originally Posted by Carin-Eri

I feel they left some ambiguity around how much of their relationship is one-sided.

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I actually don't think Y'sh is into him at all, because of a scene in late 5.0, but the same scene also implies Y'sh can't see WoL romantically either, specifically, in the last zone, there is a moment where the game describes her looking at WoL in the same manner she looks at Runar or Lyse, which can only mean one of two things:

* Y'sh is not attracted to Runar OR WoL, and sees both of them as family, a feeling she extends to Lyse.

* Y'sh is into Runar, WoL, and Lyse, I guess that interpretation just means she wants a harem.

Either way, this is my favorite way to look at things, because it means to rule Runar out, we also must rule out WoL, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

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Originally Posted by Aidorouge

And there's people here who consider G'raha's English VA himself their husband and there was a whole topic obsessing over him like he had been kidnapped, lol.

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Yeah. I think Jonathan Bailey is a great voice actor, but I am fully convinced I'm the only one that floats around the G'raha and WolGraha parts of the fanbase that wasn't acting devastated due to a VA change. The gaslighting is incredible over it still being Bailey or not, too. Some people were even suggesting G'raha should just be killed off when like... Other languages exist and VA changes are inevitable in franchises that last this long.

But since it's the most popular main character and the first major switch since ARR, it's been drama.

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

Yeah. I think Jonathan Bailey is a great voice actor, but I am fully convinced I'm the only one that floats around the G'raha and WolGraha parts of the fanbase that wasn't acting devastated due to a VA change. The gaslighting is incredible over it still being Bailey or not, too. Some people were even suggesting G'raha should just be killed off when like... Other languages exist and VA changes are inevitable in franchises that last this long.

But since it's the most popular main character and the first major switch since ARR, it's been drama.

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I get being disappointed and all, he's a popular character and a popular VA, and Square-Enix is awful with communication. But some of those people were acting like Square-Enix had widowed them. And yeah, the people acting like they may as well write G'raha off or even KILL him off because "he doesn't sound the same" was wild because he has fans in other languages, and I don't think they would appreciate the writing being made to suit one portion of the fanbase just because of a VA swap.

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Originally Posted by Aidorouge

I get being disappointed and all, he's a popular character and a popular VA, and Square-Enix is awful with communication. But some of those people were acting like Square-Enix had widowed them. And yeah, the people acting like they may as well write G'raha off or even KILL him off because "he doesn't sound the same" was wild because he has fans in other languages, and I don't think they would appreciate the writing being made to suit one portion of the fanbase just because of a VA swap.

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Exactly!! It's baffling how devestated some were. I like the VA in 7.4, the quality was great. I half expected Bailey would have to leave after Wicked anyway but the fact he's stated he adores G'raha suddenly meaning he's going to be in FFXIV forever is unfortunately not how it works. It's a job he really enjoyed, and that's life.

I can't even imagine how nuclear the backlash would be if G'raha was killed off because Bailey left the role.

(Yuma Uchida in Japanese and Loïc Guingand in French are both better at performing him, in my humble opinion, so maybe that's why I'm fine hearing another take? Bailey really struggled with getting G'raha's goofier side.)

I'm actually looking forward to 7.5 on the front of getting to hear more and adjust to the new direction.



But on topic, since we're discussing VA, having VA in the Affinity Quests suggestion would put it over the top. And. Yes, old important characters like Aymeric, Yugiri, or Jullus could be added. The lore potential!

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Originally Posted by RedLolly

Exactly!! It's baffling how devestated some were. I like the VA in 7.4, the quality was great. I half expected Bailey would have to leave after Wicked anyway but the fact he's stated he adores G'raha suddenly meaning he's going to be in FFXIV forever is unfortunately not how it works. It's a job he really enjoyed, and that's life.

I can't even imagine how nuclear the backlash would be if G'raha was killed off because Bailey left the role.

(Yuma Uchida in Japanese and Loïc Guingand in French are both better at performing him, in my humble opinion, so maybe that's why I'm fine hearing another take? Bailey really struggled with getting G'raha's goofier side.)

I'm actually looking forward to 7.5 on the front of getting to hear more and adjust to the new direction.



But on topic, since we're discussing VA, having VA in the Affinity Quests suggestion would put it over the top. And. Yes, old important characters like Aymeric, Yugiri, or Jullus could be added. The lore potential!

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I'm admittedly not a fan of G'raha themselves, so differences in the VA or them suddenly getting put on a ship to return to his home planet wouldn't personally bother me, lol. But that doesn't mean I WANT him gone or don't acknowledge that a VA shift can take some time getting used to.

VA within these Affinity Quests would be nice, especially for those who never had voices at all, as it gives other talent a chance to be a little part of FF14.