Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward is now providing complimentary in-game items to Japanese Final Fantasy XIV gamers as a gesture of appreciation for their tax payments (source: Famitsu). These purely aesthetic items, which can also be acquired with real currency, represent Square Enix’s initiative to strengthen its bond with the regional gaming community.
This partnership is integrated into Japan’s “Furusato Nozei” (hometown tax contribution) framework, enabling individuals to allocate a segment of their income tax to a designated municipality (like their hometown or a place of personal importance) rather than remitting it entirely to the national government. In exchange, the selected city dispatches presents to the taxpayer. These typically consist of regional specialty products such as fresh produce, rice, or wagyu beef, though more unconventional selections like NFTs and digital accolades have begun to emerge recently.
In the previous year, Shibuya Ward teamed up with Japanese mobile games Monster Strike and Kotodaman to begin offering in-game currency as an optional reward for taxpayers. This year, the ward is collaborating with Square Enix to distribute five Phials of Fantasia (an item that permits character appearance, race, and gender modifications), the Collegiate Attire (Skirt) and Collegiate Attire (Slacks) outfit sets, the Magitek ensemble, four dance emotes, and a Megashiba mount (a nod to Shibuya Station’s famed Hachiko statue) to players at no cost. According to their listed prices on the Final Fantasy XIV Online Store, this reward package is valued at a minimum of $88 USD.
Although Square Enix’s headquarters is not located in Shibuya, the company maintains an office in the area. Consequently, the firm states its intention to “continue undertaking various initiatives while leveraging Shibuya’s distinctive attributes.”