Details:

'Last month the Japanese game developer Square Enix announced that they would reverse a previous restriction and allow same-sex marriages between players in their massively multiplayer online roleplaying game Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Said the game’s producer Naoki Yoshida: “”We discussed it and we realized…why should there be restrictions on who pledges their love or friendship to each other? And so we decided to go this way.”

'Over the weekend, as an expression of gratitude towards Yoshida and celebration of the decision, The Rough Trade Gaming Community, which describes itself as “the world’s biggest LGBT guild” (a guild is a group of likeminded gamers), held a massive “Pixel Parade” inside Final Fantasy XIV. Dressed in rainbow motley, the guild ran through the game world of Eorzea, dancing and partying. You can watch the whole thing above.

'The celebration is a reminder not just that attitudes towards same-sex marriage are changing throughout the world, but that online gaming communities can be places of enormous personal significance for the LGBT community.'

In honor of Yoshida-san allowing marriage in the game to happen regardless of race, origin, state, and gender, Rough Trade Gaming Community (the world's largest LGBT guild) wanted to provide a video of thanks. We also want to remember Erotes, one of our own players who was tragically murdered in the Calgary stabbings a month before this video took place.