Square Enix has released a Final Fantasy XIV exercise video intended to help you stretch before or after an FFXIV session.
Titled "Eorzean Aetherobics", the video shows characters performing a series of poses based on emotes and dances from the game, together with a real-life demonstration in the lower-left corner.
You can think of it as a kind of Eorzean Ring Fit; while there's no linear adventure happening on-screen, you will get to see some of your favorite Final Fantasy XIV characters working out, including Hildibrand Manderville, Alphinaud, and more.
Emotes and dances include the iconic Manderville Dance, the Yol Dance, the Black Ranger Pose, and the Overhead Blade Block maneuver from the Susano trial.
According to a Square Enix blog post, the aim is to provide "simple and easy-to-follow stretches" intended for "short breaks during work or prolonged gaming sessions".
Square Enix says the video was primarily created to motivate players (and developers!) to move their bodies, but 1% of the intent behind Aetherobics' creation was "because we just wanted to do something fun for everyone".
While you might not hear emotionally devastating songs like "Close in the Distance" or "Flow" during your workout, you should hopefully feel more motivated to move your body if you're seeing some of Eorzea's finest doing it as well.
To create these videos, Square Enix says it worked closely with Japanese sporting company Renaissance Inc.
The goal was to create a routine full of memorable movements that also provided "a good stretch", but in the end, Square Enix says it erred on the side of memorable, so players could easily remember the stretches and poses they'd have to do.
Some of the poses that didn't make into Eorzean Aetherobics include "Lookout", which would have had you look away from the screen, as well as the "difficult" Ball Dance.
Ritual Prayer was considered as a shoulder-loosening exercise, but in the end, it lost out to the more "intense" Cuff-a-Cur. Other candidates included job-specific animations like the Black Mage's Meteor or the Monk's Riddle of Earth.
Final Fantasy XIV is available to play right now on PC and PlayStation consoles. Just make sure to wind down with some Eorzean Aetherobics when you're done with your next session!
If you are embarking on an Eorzean journey, do be sure to take a look at our guides, which should help you make your way through the twists and turns of Final Fantasy XIV's epic story.
