Humor may work according to horseshoe theory: A joke or meme can get so ironic that it ends up becoming sincere, or so sincere that it ends up feeling kind of ironic. This is what happened to a 2021 advertising campaign for the game Final Fantasy XIV: the catchphrase of the ad, calling it The Critically Acclaimed MMORPG, was so over-the-top.

Repeating the phrase in odd contexts became popular on the internet as a way to make fun of advertisements, spreading the name Final Fantasy XIV across the internet… exactly like the people who made the online advertisment wanted.

Where Did 'The Critically Acclaimed MMORPG' Meme Come From?

A series of advertisements for a free trial of Final Fantasy XIV were released in the spring of 2021, starring an actress enthusiastically dismissing other kinds of free trials in favor of the Final Fantasy XIV free trial.

Posters took the enthusiastic advertising copy and spliced it into their memes. Part of it was making fun of advertising speak, and maybe the use of the term "critically acclaimed" to describe a MMORPG. Generally, "critically acclaimed" is used for films or books.

What Is Final Fantasy XIV, And Is Actually 'Critically Acclaimed'?

Final Fantasy XIV is a high fantasy MMORPG developed by Square Enix studios in 2010 and re-released in 2013, with updates and new packages added on since then. The 2013 rerelease was highly praised, or, you might say, "acclaimed," in the video game press. The game received 9/10 from IGN. and PCMag called it one of the best MMORPGs on the market.

Why Do People Post About 'The Critically Acclaimed MMORPG'?

There's a long tradition of brands and posters colliding online. A video game pulling a Steve Buscemi How Do You Do Fellow Kids? might be a bit of a less awkward fit than a defense contractor or fast food chain doing it, but it's still a brand walking into our space. Often, people on the internet make fun of brands. But attention is attention, whether positive, negative, or ironic. The algorithms rarely care about the difference.

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For the full history of The Critically Acclaimed MMORPG, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.