A Final Fantasy 14 reference in Baldur’s Gate 3 has left fans of both games in tears, with the nod causing such strong emotion that some players have quit the RPG game on the spot.
A Smile Better Suits You
In a nod to the death of Haurchefant Greystone in FF14, the fan-favorite character makes an appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3 in an “inspiration pop-up” called “A Smile Better Suits You.”
“We’ve all seen the darkness that lies within man. We’ve all witnessed it,” Haurchefant says in the pop-up. “Some stand by and do nothing. Others do what they can to help. I choose the latter.”
As a character who died in service to his friends, Haurchefant is a special one to many fans of Final Fantasy 14, and many of those fans play both games. Seeing his face – even in a small homage – has been enough to strike a chord with players.
“Just saw Haurchefant’s face in a Baldur’s Gate 3 pop-up and I’m actually in tears,” one fan writes. “Absolutely sobbing.”
“I just saw Haurchefant’s face and I’m done with this game,” another replies.
“Just saw Haurchefant’s face,” another writes. “I’m done.”
“I don’t play BG3,” someone else replies. “But I did just see Haurchefant’s face. I’m going to play BG3.”
The fan responses range from shock to frustration, with the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit highlighting the reference in a post by user waterseraphim. To see Haurchefant’s face in BG3, you have to respond “hopefully” to Alfira’s inquiry after she shares the inspiration with you.
“This is only accessible after a hopeful response,” waterseraphim clarifies. “Only folk hero characters can trigger this inspiration.”
Baldur’s Gate 3 is certainly not the only game to reference other titles – the “miniature giant space hamster” from Baldur’s Gate 2 has become a major part of the series’ lore, and the famous hamster has appeared in both Mass Effect and Dragon Age as well. The Larian Studios nod is likely a way to honor the legacy of Boo, but it’s also a fun surprise for players to stumble upon.
Regardless of whether you’re a fan of Final Fantasy 14 or not, you’ll probably want to see Haurchefant’s face – and maybe even play BG3 yourself – so check out the inspiration pop-ups in-game and get searching.
The RPG game is currently trending on Twitter, and we’ll be sure to update you on any other big references – or major reveals – as they come.
