Basic Information:


Published by: Square Enix
Developed by: Square Enix
Genre: Role-Playing (RPG)
Online: Yes
US: TBA
Europe: TBA
Other Platforms: PC, PS2

The Final Fantasy series finally makes its debut on Microsoft console, complete with Xbox Live support. Final Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online RPG in the same vein as PC games like EverQuest.

Screenshots





Other screenshots

Videoclips

TGS Trailer (video camera)
GC Convention (Off-screen) 1
GC Convention (Off-screen) 2
GC Convention (Off-screen) 3
Gameplay 1
Gameplay 2
Gameplay 3
Gameplay 4
E3 Trailer
G4TV's E3 2005 Games of Sqaure

Previews

quote www.gamespot.com

E3 2005 Preshow Report

One of the oddest emphases of the Microsoft E3 2005 press conference was the fact that the company was pushing the presence of Final Fantasy XI. While it's important for Microsoft to show that it has the support of Square Enix, who's never released a game for a Microsoft console, it's still odd that the game that it's choosing to push is FFXI, which came out over two years ago in Japan and has been out for over a year in the US. Although it's one of the most popular MMOs in the world, it just seems a little underwhelming that Microsoft is publicizing a port as being a key part of its online strategy for the Xbox 360.

Most players will be familiar with the world of Vana'diel, even if it's only knowledge of a secondhand nature. The gameworld for FFXI isn't related to those of any other Final Fantasy (the series as a whole isn't known for continuity from game to game, anyway), but it features a familiar mix of technology, magic, and bizarre fantasy races, all of which seem to be faithfully re-created in FFXI for the Xbox 360. Since the game is going to be compatible with the versions of FFXI already released on the PC and presumably the PS2 as well (although Iwata diplomatically didn't mention that platform by name, calling it only "the first console to use PlayOnline"), it's unlikely that it'll feature any exclusive new content (although details on this are still forthcoming). But the content that already exists (and there's a lot of it) has seen a significant visual upgrade since its PC release, so Xbox 360 players will be treated to new lighting effects and upgraded models. Taratarus are still small and Galka are still hulking beastmen, but everything looks much better than it has in the past.

Although Yoichi Wada, the president of Square Enix, spoke at the Microsoft press conference, he didn't reveal any specific details on the Xbox 360 port of Final Fantasy XI. Indeed, he seemed to imply that the most impressive Square Enix footage from the press conference, the rendered environmental graphics that appeared after he spoke, might not even be from the FFXI product that it's shipping, although it did seem to use models from that game. Here are Iwata's comments on the footage in their entirety:

"Close collaboration between Microsoft and Square Enix is just beginning. As a company that is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of what is possible in the world of video games, SE looks forward to working with the Xbox team to create new worlds that the Xbox 360 will make possible. Tonight I'd like to share you with a sneak preview of what we believe the future of video games might look like. We created this real-time rendered image taking advantage of Xbox 360's superb graphics power."

So who knows if this footage (listed as FFXI Gameplay Footage 2 on this page) will ever actually appear in a game. On the plus side, Iwata did strongly hint at a continuing presence for Square Enix on the Xbox 360 beyond the port of FFXI, so hopefully this can be considered a sneak preview of some future game. Final Fantasy XIII, anyone?

GameSpot will, of course, have more details on the Microsoft/Square Enix collaboration, as well as the FFXI port, as they become available. Stay tuned.

By Matthew Rorie, GameSpot POSTED: 05/17/05 11:52 AM

quote www.gamespot.com

Final Fantasy XI Q&A: Square Enix Party 2005

MAKUHARI MESSE--Hiromichi Tanaka is one busy man. The executive producer of Final Fantasy XI is still overseeing the two current versions of the game that have been out for some time on both the PC and PlayStation 2. At the same time, he's shepherding the upcoming Xbox 360 version of the game and working with his team as they continue development on the work-in-progress game hinted at by the tech demo of a fantastic world set above the water shown at Microsoft's E3 press conference. Despite having all this on his to-do list, the veteran developer took some time out to attend the Square Enix Party 2005 and meet with us.

GameSpot: How do you feel about the way Final Fantasy XI has evolved since its release?

Hiromichi Tanaka: I never imagined so many people would enjoy XI as much as they have, and I'd like to keep producing a good game for everyone.

GS: Did you always see the game as cross-platform?

HT: [Yes,] XI was always intended as a cross-platform game.

GS: Once Square signed with Microsoft, why did you decide to make XI the first game for it?

HT: The only game we had that was capable of being played on Windows was FFXI, so of course that was the first game we wanted to release. Obviously, new games will be developed for the 360, but those will take time. We'd actually planned to release the game on the current Xbox, but Xbox Live's closed system made it impossible.

GS: How do you see Microsoft's standing in Japan?

HT: Xbox wasn't received in Japan as well as it was in other parts of the world. Since the Xbox 360 will be capable of a lot of different functions, it should do better. The next generation of consoles is all an unknown right now. It's hard to know who will be on top, so it's a race from now on.

GS: What does the future hold for what you do? Can we look forward to another massively multiplayer online game with the Final Fantasy franchise? What platforms do you see yourself focusing on?

HT: For MMOs, the platform isn't that important anymore. The only real requirement is its ability to display the images from the game. As technology advances it should be possible to play one game across different platforms.

GS: Does that complicate things for you as you move forward, as typically developers have had to appeal to one specific audience such as console or PC players?

HT: Since MMOs require a keyboard, that's really the only requirement now. If the platform supports a keyboard, it doesn't matter whether it's a console or PC. From this point on it should be possible to make games for either.

GS: How are you enhancing the Xbox 360 version of FFXI?

HT: We're only utilizing the functions of the 360 which are equal or greater than the PC. So the graphics will be much better, but we aren't supporting features such as voice or micro transactions.

GS: How long do you see FFXI existing?

HT: As long as we have users who enjoy XI we'll keep producing content for the game.

GS: Do you think there will come a time when you'll shift your focus from XI to another MMO game based on a new world or another part of the Final Fantasy universe?

HT: Before, when we were making packaged games, we knew we had a limited amount of development time and we couldn't go back and change them. Online games were viewed as taking a long time [to build], but you can actually revisit them and put in new ideas and grow the game as you go, which has made development very interesting. As for a new game, we showed off graphics for a title that's in development right now.

GS: Do you even have time to play XI these days?

HT: I always have my character on XI when I'm at work. I can't really join parties or level up, but I'm there at least. I can actually make my character invisible and go around to see what people are doing, so I'm always in the world.

GS: Interesting. Thanks for your time.

By Ricardo Torres, GameSpot POSTED: 07/31/05 12:08 PM

quote www.gamespot.com

TGS 2005: Impressions

The Final Fantasy series is at last making its way to a Microsoft system with Final Fantasy XI's massively multiplayer 360 debut. The game is on display at the Tokyo Game Show, and we were able to check out one of the many events that were used to illustrate different parts of the game during the day. We were in time to catch a chocobo race in progress, across the arid lands of the Buburimu Peninsula and down into Bibiki Bay.

The game seems to be mapped to the 360 controller much like it is to the PS2 controller in that version of the MMO. All movement, menu manipulation, and general actions were accomplished via the controller, though there were keyboards hooked up to the systems as well. None of the keyboards were used during gameplay, however, so they were likely present just in case one of the contestants wanted to chat away their time. They appeared to be standard keyboards (and definitely not of the keyboard-controller hybrid variety).

Visually, Final Fantasy XI seems to be gradually making itself home on the 360. The characters look good; the environments the players moved through were predominantly dry, rocky canyons, flowering cacti, and stretches of deserted beach that the chocobos trotted through. One thing we did notice, though, was that the game's frame rate took a noticeable, large dip when there was a lot of onscreen action. For example, certain areas on the Buburimu Peninsula blow up dust storms that drift across the arid landscape. These dust storms, in conjunction with a number of enemies spawning or popping into view, made matters sluggish during certain points in the gameplay. The draw distance didn't seem to otherwise get in the way of matters too much, though, and seemed to occur at a reasonable distance out from the characters.

Would-be adventurers keen to enter the realms of Vana'diel have to wait only a bit longer--the 360 and this new localization of the popular MMORPG will arrive in just a couple of short months. Keep your eyes on this gamespace for more news as it emerges.

By Bethany Massimilla, GameSpot POSTED: 09/16/05 11:13 AM

This message was edited by darkness_reborn on Oct 01 2005.

Just a little bit of information for y'all British gamers like me!



This is a link to OXM (Official Xbox Magazine) that shows us Brits will be able to get ahold of the beta version of the game on Jan 5th, in issue 04 of the magazine, be4 any of you yanks(stuff you!), and it will also be free with the issue of the magazine, thats right FREE!

As of yet no such date has been set for you lot "across the pond", or at least not that i know of.

Link:

http://www.oxm.co.uk/articles/news/massive_multiplayers_online/play_final_fantasy_xi_online_with_oxm360!

oh and one last thing:

This in from RPGFan.com:

quote

The Star Onions will give their first live concert outside Japan during the upcoming Final Fantasy XI Fan Festival 2006. The event will take place in Santa Monica, California from March 9th through the 11th. The performance by the six-man band headed by composers Naoshi Mizuta, Kumi Tanioka and Tsuyoshi Sekito will conclude the event on March 11th.

For more on the Final Fantasy XI Fan Festival 2006 visit the official website by following the link provided below.

Also this from the Official Site:

quote

That's right, the Star Onions themselves will be performing on Saturday evening the 11th as the finalé to the Fan Festival. They'll be center stage and surely play us out with a fantastic show uniquely planned for Fan Festival attendees. Check out the Event Schedule page for more information about this amazing group all the way from Japan!

Also the first playable version of Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan will be available.

Check out the Official Site for more on this. Also The Final Fantasy Portal's coverage by yours truely who will be going to the even for a more indepth coverage of the event. I'll have pictures and other comments from the even so stay tuned for that.

The RPG Info Man strikes again

For more information, I suggest you guys visit the FFXI Forum at the Xbox 360 Forums. There's a lot of the information you might want there.

[link name=http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml]All you need is here[/link]