Square Enix apologises for messing up hairstyle competition winner's submission in Final Fantasy 14 'due to limitations such as the polygon count'

Final Fantasy 14's 7.1 patch is live—and while it's got plenty to look forward to, including improved toes and a much-needed fix to portraits, it's also the bearer of bad news for one fan artist.

For the uninitiated: occasionally, Square Enix will host competitions for players to submit designs for weapons, furnishing items, and—most relevant to the current irking—hairstyles. The selected 'do for the 2023 contest's winner this time around was, at least at first, intended to be artist madqueenmomo's submission "natural curls".