And yet today Final Fantasy XIV is home to a close knit fishing community of over 27,000 people.

You were only required to come in the top twelve to get the title.

The last step is the most crucial: getting annoyed when they dont bite.

Fishers getting ready to go out Ocean Fishing in Final Fantasy XIV

The strategies involved do get complex when it comes to Ocean Fishing though.

So whats the solution?

On the other hand, The Eorzean Aquariums exist for the exact opposite purpose.

A group of players Ocean Fishing in Final Fantasy XIV

I spoke to the Aquariums founder, who goes by Fruity Snacks, to learn more about it.

Really, a proper ‘fishing guild’ in a way.

The Eorzean Aquarium runs community events across all three data centres.

An aquarium exhibit featuring a rock waterfall in the North American Eorzean Aquarium in Final Fantasy XIV

There have been Pride events, scavenger hunts, and plenty of parties.

Building an aquarium in FFXIV isnt easy though, particularly because the game doesnt really let you do it.

But houses have a finite limit of how many of these aquariums can be placed.

The guest book for the North American Eorzean Aquarium in Final Fantasy XIV

The largest size house a mansion can only fit ten aquarium units.

To get around the limitation, Fruity explains to me, they used private rooms.

It’s a teensy bit janky but I love it.

A large tank aquarium exhibit in the European Eorzean Aquarium in Final Fantasy XIV

Cataloguing fish is one thing but figuring out how to catch them is another.

He put me in touch with Tyoto Tayuun, the key organiser behind discovery.

Starting in 6.4, thats not possible anymore.

So, on the first day of discovery, people just go fishing.

Tyoto then starts sending out specific windows of time for players to test.

That comes through vividly in the fishing community.