Summary
TheWorld of Warcraftfandom has become consumed by Blizzard’s newThe War Withinexpansion, and MMORPG players have spotted a glaring reference toFinal Fantasy 14’s Gaius van Baelsar in the DLC’s descriptor. AlongsideWorld of Warcraft, Square Enix’s online adventure also received the newDawntrailexpansion in July, allowing Warriors of Light to explore the continent of Tural.
WoW’s new endeavor was released on August 26, serving as the tenth expansion in the greater MMORPG, and it’s the first part of the Worldsoul Saga trilogy set in Khaz Algar’s four zones: the Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-Kahet. Additionally, oneWorld of Warcraftplayer may have discoveredThe War Within’s next zoneafter reaching a teleportation barrier, possibly teasing the rumored “The Rootlands” area.
Posted by Aggnicia_MightyGnome on Reddit, a screenshot fromThe War Withinwas shared with theFinal Fantasy 14subreddit showing an entry under the term “Seismic Contusion.” The log explained, “Fearbreaker impacted the ground with some force here. This devastation does not seem intentional,” which the Redditor immediately noted as a “not-so-subtle reference.” To the trained eye of anFF14fan, the last sentence is a nod to Gaius van Baelsar from the game’s first expansion,A Realm Reborn, who coined the famous quote and meme, “Such devastation… This was not my intention.”
World of Warcraft: The War Within References Final Fantasy 14’s Gaius
This is not the first Easter egg discovered inThe War Within, as anotherWorld of Warcraftplayer found a nod toWrath of the Lich KingandLegion.Final Fantasyfans wasted no time in quoting Gaius’ true line in the comments section and highlighted another tip of the hat toFF14inDragonflightthat quoted, “Pray return to the Waking Shores,” referencing the Waking Sands.WoW’s developers recently aired the inspiration they took fromFF14, explaining one ofThe War Within’s new additions was guided by a feature in Square Enix’s title.
Not to be confused withElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Commander Gaius boss, Gaius van Baelsar is an NPC inFF14, also known as The Black Wolf, and a legatus legionis within the Garlean Empire’s army. As one ofA Realm Reborn’s primary antagonists, Gaius is a boss in the game and a skilled swordsman to contest, armed with his gunblade Heirsbane, an arm cannon, and the ability to summon phantoms in combat.
Enduring a rocky launch,FF14’sDawntrailexpansion received negative feedback on its graphicsfrom players who were unhappy with the changes made to their characters. The MMORPG’s fifth expansion was later met with positive reviews but remains the lower-rated expansion of the game. More graphical updates were teased to be on the way after Patch 7.0, and these adjustments will hopefully bringDawntrailup to the same standard as the past expansion,Endwalker.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
WHERE TO PLAY
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.
