FF14 is urging Japanese gamers to contribute their taxes.

Oh my goodness, have you seen the adorable costumes and shiba inu mount available for Final Fantasy 14 players in Japan? And the best part? It's all for a good cause - donating to a municipality through their hometown tax program.

It's no secret that video games these days are all about keeping players engaged with unique in-game items. We've all seen the paid microtransactions, like those fancy skins in Fortnite, but there are also plenty of freebies up for grabs too. Sometimes, all it takes is participating in a limited time event or completing a battle pass by a certain date.

And let's not forget the occasional free gift just for logging in or celebrating a birthday. But now, we have a new and perhaps slightly unconventional way to earn in-game rewards. In Japan, citizens have the option to donate a portion of their taxes directly to a municipality, even if it's not their own hometown.

And in return, these municipalities offer rewards as a thank you for the contribution. Enter the Shibuya ward in Tokyo, who have teamed up with the popular game Final Fantasy 14 to offer players a chance to earn in-game items by making a tax donation. And we're not talking about small change here - the prices for these items are quite steep.

For example, a character costume will cost you about £33, while a shiba inu mount can be acquired for £13.80. And for the dance emote and pack of five Fantasia potions, you're looking at £28.75 and £43.80 respectively. Now, some may argue that these prices are a bit steep compared to the prices on the official Final Fantasy 14 store.

But keep in mind, this is all for a good cause and with the approval of the game's publisher, Square Enix. And let's not forget the added bonus of exclusive items that can only be obtained through this donation scheme. Of course, with any sort of monetary transaction in the gaming world, there's always a risk of backlash from the player-base.

But Square Enix seems to be managing it well, stating that they are committed to strengthening their ties with the local community through events and other initiatives in Shibuya. And on top of all this, Final Fantasy 14 is also expanding its reach to the Nintendo Switch 2, which will be launching in August. This marks the first time the game will be available on a Nintendo platform, and it's sure to attract a whole new wave of players.

Plus, with the recent expansion of the free trial, new players can now experience not just the base game, but also its first three story expansions. So, will you be playing Final Fantasy 14 on the Switch 2? Let us know in the comments below, and don't forget to add Metro as a preferred source on Google to stay updated on all the latest gaming news.

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