The FFXIV Portrait Magnets up for preorder are BLIND BOXES?!

[CuteBucket]

I see SE is starting to add gacha/lootbox type of thing into their merch. This doesn't bode well.

This is my issue too. I don't recall them ever releasing something like this for FFXIV before. It's a bad precedent. I ALMOST bought them until I read the description too, so I just want to spread the word to others to not waste their money.

[faiarrow]

They have done it before, I just don't recall if it was JP market exclusive.

The vinyl figures (I'm used to calling them Kids Figures thanks to Pokemon, but basically little vinyl finger-puppet figures) from the minion collection were blind box. They've released minion magnets as well which are blind boxed too, but the price points for both of those were less than the full box price of these portrait magnets.

It's a pretty common merchandise style both in Japan and in the west now too since I know funko and a couple other companies do blind box/pack figures and merch. Doesn't excuse it, it's 100% moneygrabbing no matter who does it, and it's made worse in this case because they know they can get away with it from people chasing the one portrait they really want in the set.

[lolnotacat]

The type of people SE expects to buy it:

[CCheshire]

I won't buy this and I don't support blind boxes but it's oddly popular in JPN esp for smaller series or niche character casts. The way I managed we just to wait for the actual release date and buy other people's extras on Mercari Japan for much lower prices using a proxy. Also, these don't look too unique like no new original art and the frames look cheap.

[CuteBucket]

For those disappointed by this dumb gacha crap who want an alternative, I'd try Redbubble. (They have TONS of FFXIV magnets.) And you'll be supporting an indie artist while you're at it! You can probably find art of just about any character you love. It won't be "official art," but after what the official store wants to sell, does that even matter?

[Astronis]

For those disappointed by this dumb gacha crap who want an alternative [...] And you'll be supporting an indie artist while you're at it! You can probably find art of just about any character you love. It won't be "official art," but after what the official store wants to sell, does that even matter?

Probably not the best thing to bring to Square-Enix's attention if you'd like to continue supporting those indy artists making money off SE's IP.

[Fawkes]

I bought some similar FFXI merch a few months ago, little magnet paintings and some pins that were both blind boxes. I only bought three of each, I got one dupe in the pins and no dupes in the paintings.



Didn't get the Ancient Blood painting I wanted but I did get the "secret" painting so I guess that's something.



But also they were 660 yen each, not 88 dollars for a set of 8. They seem like they're pretty much the exact same thing aside from the easel, so this seems overpriced to me.

[CuteBucket]

Probably not the best thing to bring to Square-Enix's attention if you'd like to continue supporting those indy artists making money off SE's IP.

I highly doubt SE cares enough to go after some random users on Redbubble. Fan art is legally protected transformative work anyway. Maybe they'd have a case for the users just re-uploading official art and selling it on mugs and shirts, but even that they don't seem to bother with, having shopped on places like Redbubble and Etsy for fan made products for several years now.

[Hasrat]

I noticed this myself and it is actually disheartening that they aren't more obvious about it and I am glad I wasn't interested. I only ready the description as the release date on things has got more ridiculous more recently and these are not only loot boxes but a release of july 2025.

The pre-order and long release wait is more a product of a sort of shift in what "pre-orders" are. Used to just be you'd be getting first picks, or maybe get something earlier than "release date." Lately, it's moving more towards "pre-orders let us know approximately how many to manufacture so we're not sitting on excess stock."

When the release date is that far out, it means the product hasn't even started production yet. Who knows, final product may not even be exactly as depicted. But, ultimately, it's a business model designed to reduce waste and storage cost etc. Wouldn't exactly call it a bad thing.

Blind boxes, tho, kinda a bad thing.