Square Enix has released a statement on its official Final Fantasy XIV Lodestone website, confirming that Eikichi Iwai, the bassist of the game’s rock band THE PRIMALS, has passed away. Iwai’s last live performance was held at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival event in Japan on November 1. Square Enix describes his passing as “sudden.”
Here’s the full statement released by Square Enix:
Thank you very much for your continued support of THE PRIMALS.
As announced earlier today, we are deeply saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of bassist Eikichi Iwai.
Having witnessed his truly unforgettable performance on stage at the recent Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in Japan, the sudden news of his passing has come as a profound shock. The members of THE PRIMALS and the entire FFXIV Development and Operations teams are overcome with deep sorrow.
As we reflect on all that Eikichi-san has left behind, our thoughts are with him, and we offer our heartfelt condolences.
The Members and Staff of THE PRIMALS
The Final Fantasy XIV Development and Operations Teams
The members of THE PRIMALS include Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, Eikichi Iwai, Masayoshi Soken, Tetsuya Tachibana, and GUNN. The band released their debut album in May 2018 and have worked on several arrangement albums for Final Fantasy XIV since then.
Final Fantasy XIV is available now for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold will launch on February 23, 2027 worldwide, with early access starting February 19.
A Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required to play Final Fantasy XIV, but players must purchase a dedicated Final Fantasy XIV subscription for the Switch 2 version. This subscription will be 50% off to all active subscribers of Final Fantasy XIV on other platforms.
