New gearsets preview is a disappointment

[Ziri_O]

What it says on the tin, but I'm putting it mildly. Just saw the gear preview from Meso Terminal and you'd think after everything that went down with the War Bonnet Fiasco in Stormblood, the Sami "northern" set on the Mogstation, and all the feedback from Thavnair we wouldn't be here, and yet five out of the seven sets of armor are conquistador themed? In the South American themed expac? Are they kidding us right now?

Like if it had been more Alexandrian or Lindblum themed based on the designs from FF9 I'd be less irritated, because it's one of my favorites in the series, but this absolutely isn't it. I know a conquistador and a musketeer when I see them.

It doesn't take much to not be racist with armor designs, why are we still having this problem in the year of our lord 2025???

[BigCheez]

It doesn't take much to not be racist with armor designs, why are we still having this problem in the year of our lord 2025???

Because you spend your time frantically searching for ways to be offended on behalf of other people.

[FuturePastNow]

They look fine. Hope they're dyeable (but won't be surprised if they aren't).

[yesnt]

I am not very excited about this set.

[LiondancerBurakh]

I'm someone who is offended by this armor. I speak on behalf of myself when I say this, the conquistador themed sets are extremely insensitive and racist.

I was just watching a FF9 playthrough. The new gearsets do not match the designs in FF9 despite that game being a big inspiration for Alexandria and the other recent gearsets that were released.

Since the preview was released, I noticed many of my peers announcing that they were canceling their subs and their service accounts. I myself have canceled my subscription. On a personal level, even if I do not engage or wear the armor:

1. It is in the new dungeon which will become part of the expert roulette, which means that seeing or receiving this gear is a lot more unavoidable than if it was part of side or raid content.

2. People who do not know of the historical connotations of this gear may be wearing the gear as glamour. This is, and has, been triggering for some people to see the preview picture alone. Allowing this ingame will contribute to an in-game culture of casual racism, alienating even further sections of the playerbase from trying or continuing to play the game, as they are reminded that their lives and history in reality do not matter in the fantasy-inspired game they play.

Please reconsider and redesign the sets. In conjunction with the sets being released in the Latin American themed expansion, this design choice contributes to harmful antagonistic sentiment that already exists in real life. Colonists are not 'fantasy'; this is tacit endorsement of colonization which sours the entire expansion of Dawntrail by its boldness.

If the choices made about this game continues in this direction, I will not be buying any future expansions.

[Mikiroon]

Genuinely such a disgusting and thoughtless choice. There were so many paths to go with gear in this expansion and picking the uniforms of violent colonists in the expansion that draws reference from their victims is something many people will be rightfully repulsed and pushed away by.

[LeithValkyrian]

They look fine. Hope they're dyeable (but won't be surprised if they aren't).

Has nothing to do with how they look, it's what they represent and how tone deaf it is given the expansion.

[ThreadOfFate]

releasing sets based on the armor and fashion designs of genocidal colonizers sure is a choice made by square enix and i wish it was the first time but so much of this expansion has been weird about that

what are we doing here SE. this keeps happening. you are not a small indie company, this is a game with a worldwide audience and y'all have got to start putting in the time and effort to understanding the context of your inspirations.

what happened to the cultural consultants you said you got. how did we get here again. again. again. again. again.

[Hallarem]

Its a fantasy world. Its not real South America. Get over it.

[Vivvie]

stunningly disappointing. are the aesthetics of fascist really so irresistible that they couldn't take five minutes to, idk, look at where their designs are coming from?