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FFXIV players are holding vigils for Heavensward voice actor Stephen Critchlow

The veteran voice actor has sadly passed away.

FFXIV's Count Edmont de Fortemps, who is voiced by Stephen Critchlow
Iain Harris

Published:

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn 

Final Fantasy XIV players are gathering in-game to pay their respects to voice actor Stephen Critchlow, who lent his vocal talents to Count Edmont de Fortemps, and has passed away at the age of 54. The news of Critchlow’s passing was revealed by audio drama production company Big Finish, who Critchlow had worked with over the years.

At the time of writing, FFXIV fans have held vigils on the Brynhildr, Leviathan, Jenova, Mateus, Balmung, Midgardsormr, and Adamantoise servers (below), with more likely to follow. Everyone has chosen to gather outside of Count Edmont de Fortemps’s manor in Ishgard, where you first meet him. You’re introduced to the character of Edmont at the start of the MMORPG’s Heavensward expansion, which is one of the game’s first significant slices of post-game content. At that point in the story, you’re on the run from a base you’ve set up after falling foul to a plot of betrayal. Edmont agrees to take you in, even if it may raise some eyebrows among other citizens of Ishgard.

Critchlow also serves as the narrator of the chapter. Outside of Final Fantasy XIV, though, you’ll find that the actor also voiced Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Bana and was regularly involved in audio dramas for Doctor Who.

Here are some of the shots players have taken from the vigils:

Memorial for Stephen Critchlow (Edmont de Fortemps) going on in Brynhildr from ffxiv

If you’d like to read more tributes to Critchlow, Big Finish has collected a series of memories from people who knew him. You can also still donate to a fundraiser he set up to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

Our former deputy news editor now writes for GamesRadar. A big fan of JRPGs and sci-fi games, Iain's at home dressing up in Final Fantasy XIV, though he's no stranger to Genshin Impact or GTA Online.