One FFXIV minion is now a lot more expensive because of Moo Deng
square enix / dexertoFFXIV devs have joined the Moo Deng hype by sharing a reference to the viral hippo, leading to one minion getting more expensive in-game.
Moo Deng quickly became a hit on the internet when videos showcasing her playful antics started showing up. Since then, the viral pygmy hippo from the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand has led people to adore her, sporting all sorts of memes, fan art, and even a Pokemon moveset.
Seeing this, FFXIV devs were also seen joining the Moo Deng hype train. With a caption mentioning “Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In My Lane. Focused. Flourishing,” they shared a clip of a hippo minion yawning in the game while getting splashed with water via a post on X.
And sure enough, users reacting in the comments could already tell who exactly they were referring to.
FFXIV is known for having a huge list of minions. Whether that be fluffy Alpaca Cria or the Black Kitten, the list goes on—and while we don’t exactly have Moo Deng in the game, the hippo minion is probably the closest alternative we can get in Eorzea.
For those who are wondering, the name of this minion in FFXIV is “Hippo Calf,” and there are essentially two ways you can obtain it.
The fastest way to get the minion is just to buy it from the market board. Here’s the interesting part, though. The price of the minion has suddenly skyrocketed, thanks to Moo Deng’s popularity, and the devs hyping up the hippo minion more in the X post.
As one user on X pointed out, previously, players could snatch the tiny hippo minion for 17,400 Gil just a few weeks ago, but now, the price has gone up to around 300,000 Gil on certain servers.
The other way is by running Vanaspati, a level 85 dungeon from Endwalker. The thing is… you’re not always guaranteed to get the minion due to the randomized loot.
You can try to clear this dungeon using the best classes, and hope you’ll get the Hippo Calf minion in your next drop. Though this can take quite a while, depending on your luck.