Japanese Final Fantasy 14 players can earn in-game loot by paying taxes

Final Fantasy 14 devotees can now earn $88 worth of in-game cosmetics by paying their taxes — if they live in Japan. Square Enix has teamed up with Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward to offer digital items to Japanese citizens who contribute part of their taxes to the district.

The hometown tax contribution system lets participants allocate part of their income taxes to a specific town even if they don't currently live there; it was created to help support rural communities suffering from depopulation. Towns that receive these allocations often send contributors gifts, from local specialty goods to digital rewards, and Shibuya has previously partnered with the mobile games Monster Strike and Kotodaman.

Contributors who pick Shibuya will receive five Phials of Fantasia (used to change characters’ appearance), the Collegiate Attire slacks and skirt, the Magitek costume, four dance emotes, and the Megashiba mount. The large dog nods to the Shibuya mascot Hachiko, an Akita Inu commemorated with a bronze statue for its loyalty.

Japan, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo

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