Earlier this year, Final Fantasy XIV announced it would host several crossover events with Square Enix’s other flagship IP, the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Alongside a raid series themed around the remake trilogy, the MMO is adding a new minigame to the Gold Saucer—a venue where Eorzeans can gamble gil and indulge in other leisurely, less world-saving pursuits, much like its FF7 counterpart. But even though the minigame, called Keybound Brawler, hasn’t released yet, it’s already frustrating players.
A test of your (typing) reflexes!
Keybound Brawler will be landing in the Manderville Gold Saucer on October 28, and the first iteration of the event will be a special collaboration with the FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE series! ⌨️ https://t.co/5yNsdKqbV1 pic.twitter.com/JR3Yujh8Hr
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) October 21, 2026
A test of your (typing) reflexes!
Keybound Brawler will be landing in the Manderville Gold Saucer on October 28, and the first iteration of the event will be a special collaboration with the FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE series! ⌨️ https://t.co/5yNsdKqbV1 pic.twitter.com/JR3Yujh8Hr
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) October 21, 2026
Keybound Brawler is a typing game in the vein of Typing Of The Dead that requires a keyboard to complete. However, FFXIV has a fairly large console player base, and it seems quite a few of them don’t keep a keyboard within arm’s reach. It’s a simple, relatively inexpensive fix, sure—but it’s the principle, you see. On social media and the game’s subreddit, console players are upset at having to buy or otherwise obtain a keyboard to experience part of a game they’ve been enjoying just fine with a simple controller for over a decade—especially since the game just launched on the Switch 2, opening up an entirely new wave of console players.
But Keybound Brawler’s worst offense lies in its gender-locked rewards. In the first iteration of the minigame, players can win costumes that dress up Warriors of Licht as either Barret or Tifa, but only male characters can wear Barret’s outfit and only female characters can wear Tifa’s. Naturally, in a community where “glamour is the endgame,” this isn’t going over well.
deeply disappointing that the gear is genderlocked. what about that promise to stop genderlocking cosmetics. i was going to resub for this event but i just cant be bothered if y’all still cant keep your word
— twink death ☁️💫 (@catboyfriencl) October 21, 2026
deeply disappointing that the gear is genderlocked. what about that promise to stop genderlocking cosmetics. i was going to resub for this event but i just cant be bothered if y’all still cant keep your word
— twink death ☁️💫 (@catboyfriencl) October 21, 2026
The curious restriction runs counter to previous moves Square Enix has made regarding clothing and gender. Way back in 2020, game director Naoki Yoshida announced that the gender restriction on the game’s wedding outfits would be removed. Before the Endwalker expansion, Square Enix did it again, removing the gender restriction on maid outfits—a morally correct move, right before introducing male Viera as a character option. It’s odd, then, to see Square Enix revert to such restrictions for something that would generate as much player interest as this.
Please unlock the glams for both genders, I want to dress my Clive Rosfield alt in the Tifa glam just like Ben Starr XD
— The_One_True_Clive_Rosfield (@CliveRosfield44) October 21, 2026
Please unlock the glams for both genders, I want to dress my Clive Rosfield alt in the Tifa glam just like Ben Starr XD
— The_One_True_Clive_Rosfield (@CliveRosfield44) October 21, 2026
I mean c’mon!
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