Final Fantasy XIV World First Race Ends in Cheating Scandal and New Champions

Team GRIND was disqualified after using a banned plugin, paving the way for Kindred to claim the title and raise funds for charity.

The Futures Rewritten Ultimate raid in Final Fantasy XIV marked the latest challenge for the Race to World First, an event showcasing the game's most skilled players.
Team GRIND initially claimed victory but was disqualified after evidence surfaced of a team member using the prohibited Pixel Perfect plugin to gain an advantage.
The plugin, which displays precise hitbox information, violates Final Fantasy XIV's strict ban on third-party tools, as emphasized by producer Naoki Yoshida in past statements.
Following GRIND's disqualification, Team Kindred secured the world-first title, narrowly defeating runner-up Lucrezia by just nine minutes.
The event, hosted by Echo Esports and MogTalk, also raised over $20,000 for the Games for Love charity, highlighting the community's positive impact despite the controversy.