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

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A dedicated Final Fantasy XI player, aged 91, recently passed away after playing the game for almost twenty years. Both the game’s community and creators have expressed their sadness.

Final Fantasy XI came out in 2002 and has remained popular for over 20 years on various gaming systems. Remarkably, one of its most enthusiastic players was a 91-year-old grandmother from Japan who played the game for almost two decades.

The story gained attention after a player’s grandson shared a heartfelt post online that quickly spread across social media, as first reported by Automaton.

Her grandson announced on X (formerly Twitter) that she died on February 3rd. The news quickly resonated with dedicated fans of the game Final Fantasy XI, and even reached some of the developers who worked on it.

FFXI devs respond to loss of grandma who loved game

A touching post on X shared that the author’s grandmother, a dedicated Final Fantasy XI player for almost 20 years, passed away on February 3rd at the age of 91. The author fondly remembers her watching them play since the game’s beta and imagines she’s now embarking on adventures in the game world with her dog, Mimi.

The grandson shared the story on Twitter, and it reached Kensuke Shimoda, a designer for Final Fantasy XI. Shimoda responded with a heartfelt message: “Rest in peace. As someone who worked on the original game, I truly appreciate her having played it.”

I’m sharing some sad news. My beloved grandmother passed away on Tuesday, February 3rd, at the age of 91.

She was a long-time player of Final Fantasy XI, having played for almost 20 years, and always supported me since the beta version.

I imagine she’s now adventuring in the world of Vana’diel with her beloved chocobo, Mimi. #FF11 #FinalFantasyXI

— 松けん (@Makken_Dance) February 4, 2026

Composer Kumi Tanioka shared a heartfelt tribute, acknowledging the player’s dedication over almost twenty years. She expressed hope they were at peace and playfully wondered if, should they be reborn in the game world of Vana’diel, they might sometimes hear her music on the breeze. She wished them rest in peace.

It’s really heartwarming to see developers and players come together to remember those we’ve lost. I remember when the Helldivers 2 team acknowledged a beautiful tribute someone made for a fan, and it was so touching. It’s not just them either – the World of Warcraft community once honored the person who created a super helpful website for years. It just shows how strong these communities can be when someone passes away.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 featured a tribute to the late YouTuber John “TotalBiscuit” Bain, demonstrating how game developers often honor people who significantly influenced gaming and its community.

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2026-02-05 16:20