Hope&Glory wins FINAL FANTASY XIV brief

Hope&Glory PR has been retained by game developer Square Enix to handle the PR for FINAL FANTASY XIV across the UK and Nordic regions.

The appointment of Hope&Glory PR, which won the account following a competitive pitch, will not affect any of Square Enix’s commercial relationships with its existing PR partners, and is made ahead of a major expansion of the “massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG)”.

The second major expansion to FINAL FANTASY XIV will launch in early summer 2017, offering gamers the chance to explore new areas as well as experience new raids, gameplay changes and a brand new storyline.

In three years, FINAL FANTASY XIV has gained over 6 million gamers worldwide, and Hope&Glory’s brief will be to engage with current, lapsed and new players ahead of the release of the upcoming expansion.

Aside from press office responsibility, Hope&Glory will create a launch moment, which aims to engage with current gamers, as well as a mainstream audience.

The agency will also handle UK and Nordic media relations for the European FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival, which takes place on 18 and 19 February in Frankfurt.

Colette Barr, EU PR manager for FINAL FANTASY XIV, said: “The Hope&Glory team impressed us from the start, not just with their previous work but with their passion for FINAL FANTASY XIV. They showcased a strong understanding of both the game and its audience, combined with exciting creative ideas and the ability to hit the ground running.”

Mike Levaggi, account director at Hope&Glory, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Square Enix on FINAL FANTASY XIV, on both a personal and professional level. As a bunch of avid gamers ourselves, it’s great to be working on such an esteemed franchise at this exciting time.”