Moo Deng Causes Significant Price Increase for One FFXIV Minion

FFXIV developers have jumped on the Moo Deng trend by sharing a nod to the viral hippo, resulting in a significant increase in the price of one minion in the game.

Moo Deng quickly captured the hearts of internet users after videos highlighting her playful behavior went viral. This beloved pygmy hippo from the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand has inspired a wave of admiration, spawning countless memes, fan art, and even a Pokémon moveset.

In light of this phenomenon, the FFXIV developers also participated in the Moo Deng excitement. They shared a clip of a hippo minion yawning in the game, paired with the caption “Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In My Lane. Focused. Flourishing,” in a post on X.

Reacting to the post, users in the comments quickly recognized the reference to Moo Deng.

Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In My Lane. Focused. Flourishing. 🦛 pic.twitter.com/ufJLNemkS3

— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) September 21, 2024

FFXIV is recognized for its extensive collection of minions. From fluffy Alpaca Cria to adorable Black Kittens, the variety is impressive. While Moo Deng herself isn’t available in the game, the Hippo minion is the closest alternative players can find in Eorzea.

If you’re curious, this minion is called “Hippo Calf” in FFXIV, and there are two primary methods to acquire it.

The quickest method to obtain the minion is through the market board. Interestingly, due to Moo Deng’s rise in popularity and the developers promoting the hippo minion in their X post, the price has dramatically surged.

As highlighted by one user on X, the cost for the tiny hippo minion used to be around 17,400 Gil not long ago, but it has now skyrocketed to 300,000 Gil on certain servers.

Power of Moo Deng pic.twitter.com/fWkOFSRTxO

— Cerulean Ehh~ (@cerulean_ffxiv) September 24, 2024

The alternative way to get the minion is by completing Vanaspati, a level 85 dungeon from Endwalker. However, acquiring the minion isn’t a guarantee due to the randomized loot system.

Players can try tackling this dungeon with their best classes, hoping for a Hippo Calf minion drop. This method can be time-consuming, depending on luck.

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