MMOs are a unique genre in the video game industry as these worlds are living, breathing, and ever-evolving well past the original release date (as long as players continue to occupy the world). Series like World of Warcraft, Runescape, and Final Fantasy have decades-long histories with cult-like followings and Puma is looking to the Japanese-made Final Fantasy 14 (one of the latest entries in the almost 40-year-old series) for a collaborative footwear capsule.
Included in the collection are two RS-X colorways and two Slipstreams, both of which come feature a “White” and a “Black” rendition that comes inspired by Final Fantasy’s elemental aethers. On the white-based RS-X we see shades of dusty aqua take over portions of the upper, like the collar and parts of the sole unit, while creamy nubuck overlays appear throughout design. On the tongue we see an iridescent pull tab that contrasts the co-branded Puma and Final Fantasy 14 tag that features a Fat Cat graphic. These same details land on the black-based colorway which comes contrasted by hits of purple in various shades. Underfoot we see a multi-colored midsole paired with a black and marbled rubber outsole.
For the Puma Slipstream, it appears the pairs will be exclusive to Japan as Puma US has not loaded pairs onto their website. Both the white and black colorways borrow similar colorblocking and details to the RS-X with the black-based pair featuring purple accents on branding details and the sockliner while the rest of the upper takes on a two-tone black and grey finish. Co-branding details appear on the tongue with Puma’s cat logo and the logo of FFXIV’s “A Realm Reborn” that also lands on the heel. On the white colorway we see creamy shades and stark white hues take over the upper with mint green and blue shades contrasting throughout.
Rounding out the collection is the Puma Court Rider Chaos and a Leadcat 2.0 Slide that both take on shades of purple across its construction. The Court Rider Chaos keeps its performance basketball build while incorporating details from Final Fantasy such as a graphic on the heel tab and along the eyestays. Like other pairs in the collection, the Fat Cat logo from the game gets plastered on the heel tab and heel while the “A Realm Reborn” logo gets placed on the co-branded tongue pull tab.
The entire Final Fantasy 14 x Puma Collection is set to release on March 15th, 2023 in Japan while a US release date for the Puma RS-X and Leadcat 2.0 is set for March 25th exclusively on the Puma App. For the Court Rider Chaos, the US release date is set for April 16th, 2023. Releasing in men’s sizing, the retail prices range between $40 and $120. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma RS-X “Black”
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma RS-X “White”
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma Slipstream “Black”
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma Slipstream “White”
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma Court Rider Chaos “Black”
Final Fantasy 14 x Puma Leadcat 2.0 Slide “Purple”
