Reader Boko was at VanaFest and caught the announcement, pointing us to the new splash page set up for the expansion packs. The titles of the three are "A Crystalline Prophecy - Ode of Life Bestowing"; "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat - Evil in Small Doses" and "A Shantotto Ascension - The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born."

The rollout begins with Crystalline Prophecy in the Spring of 2009, followed by Moogle and then Shantotto. All three will be available for around $10 and will be purchased online.

There's more via the FFXI Creator's Voice Blog. The full announcement from that site is on the jump.

The Adventure Continues With Three All-New FINAL FANTASY XI Expansion Chapters!
*Available for online purchase only

■Masato Kato, who oversaw the original plot conception on FINAL FANTASY XI from initial release up through the Rise of the Zilart expansion, will also play a key role in the creation of this new series of installments.

■The first installment, A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing, is slated for release for all languages and platforms in Spring of next year. Subsequent installments will then follow, being released in intervals of every few months.
These expansions packages will only be available through online purchase via PlayOnline. The projected cost for each installment is around $10.00.

Unlike its predecessors, such as Treasures of Aht Urghan and Wings of the Goddess, this original series of expansion packages will be distributed exclusively as online add-ons. Players may rest assured, however, that version updates for the Wings of the Goddess expansion will still continue for some time. Concurrent with the regular version updates, the new expansions are being developed as a with a “novelette” approach. Indeed, a separate development team has been established specifically for these new expansions.

Additional Scenarios?
Up until now, expansion packs have generally been developed from a perspective of “lateral expansion,” focusing namely on the introduction of new areas. These three new expansions, however, will deepen the storylines running through pre-existing areas by ushering in all-new plots and intrigues. While not necessarily containing as much content as traditional expansions, these episodic scenarios are designed to take anywhere from one to two months to complete.

Target Levels?
Though the quests can easily be started by a solo player somewhere in the vicinity of level 30, they will tend to become more difficult as the storyline progresses. By the end, completion of the quests will likely require a party of level 75 characters, with the rewards being geared towards high-level players as well.
Players can engage in these new storylines simultaneously with any of the missions from preceding expansions without conflict.

Final Fantasy XI Expansion Chapters [Site]
The Adventure Continues with Three All-New Final Fantasy Chapters! [Square-Enix]

Absolute Virtue ~ 9/8/08 [Order of the Blue Gartr Thanks, Muu!]

With that in mind (and perhaps with one eye on the 18 Hour Boss Battle debacle) Square Enix has revealed plans to make Final Fantasy XI a bit more fun for newer players and to rebalance the game so a to allow experienced characters to stand side-by-side with newbies without it being completely embarrassing.

The "Level Sync" system is a way of powering down high level characters so that they can form parties with new players and everyone can play on a field that might be completely level but which is only a bit bumpy.

New Level Sync Feature to Change the Way You Party![PlayOnline - Thanks to Cayce White for the tip]

Clearly concerned that their customers might be in danger of A) doing themselves a mischief and B) not having fun anymore, Square Enix has responded with a series of changes to the MMO "to prevent such battles from exceeding a certain predetermined length of time"

In a post to the official site entitled "Regarding Specific Notorious Monsters" Square has announced that the major league bosses Pandemonium Warden, Absolute Virtue and Jailer of Love (all of whom would make excellent Emo album titles) and their associated pets will be modified in the game's September update.

Final Fantasy XI Online Official Site [Thanks to Jeff Amick for the tip]

Ordering the Leviathan-shaped pendent will also give gamers an in-game item of the same name. Pre-orders stop on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. and Square says they won't be releasing this item again.

Players' Collection

How Long is Too Long? [Pet Food Alpha, thanks Brandon!]

Well not FFXI specifically, but the amendment to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act passed this week makes it an unlawful business practice to run an internet gaming service without some way of canceling the service online, without requiring customers to call a phone number or mail a letter. Hit the jump for the full synopsis of the law.

Provides that an Internet gaming service provider that provides service to a consumer, for home and personal use, for a stated term that is automatically renewed for another term unless a consumer cancels the service must give a consumer who is an Illinois resident: (1) a secure method at the Internet gaming service provider's web site that the consumer may use to cancel the service, which method shall not require the consumer to make a telephone call or send U.S. Postal Service mail to effectuate the cancellation; and (2) instructions that the consumer may follow to cancel the service at the Internet gaming service provider's web site.

Square Enix's course here is pretty clear. Cancel the accounts of anyone living in Illinois. That'll show em!

Online Fantasy Game’s Absurd Cancellation Policy Leads To New Law [Silicon Alley Insider via Game Politics]

No, of course they didn't. Explaining that virtual goods have no real monetary value, they refused to do anything. This completely makes sense to me. What doesn't is the reaction garnered from educators across the country.

"What happened here is somebody stole almost $4,000 and got away cold," said Joshua Fairfield, an associate professor of law at Washington and Lee University in Virginia.

"This is just a matter of zeros," Fairfield said. "The first time IBM loses $10 million, we're going to see some police action."

While countries like China and Korea already have laws in place that make virtual theft a crime, the United States has no such laws, and I for one am glad. If the government acknowledges these items have value, them that value can be taxed. If you argue that his stuff was worth $3800, where is the government's cut? I don't think this is a box we need to be opening. What do you think?

When a virtual crook struck this gamer, he called real cops [TwinCities.com via Wired Blogs]

The pleading letter, full of details on how to rejoin the Final Fantasy XI world, resulting in plenty of hugs, tears of joy, and a re-up of your monthly subscription is below. Quickly now! You've only got about four months to spare.

RETURN HOME TO VANA'DIEL COMES BACK TO FINAL FANTASY XI

Popular Campaign Allows Customers to Revive Their Characters

LOS ANGELES (October 24, 2007) - Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that the popular FINAL FANTASY® XI "Return Home to Vana'diel®" campaign is back. Customers who have deleted Content IDs, or deleted PlayOnline® accounts, are now able to rejoin their fellow adventurers in the world of Vana'diel by utilizing this service. This exciting campaign returns just in time for the launch of WINGS OF THE GODDESS™, the fourth expansion to the award-winning world of FINAL FANTASY XI, which ships to retailers across the nation on November 20, 2007.

"Return Home to Vana'diel" offers customers two different ways to revive their characters. If the customer previously deleted their FINAL FANTASY XI Content ID, where the character's information is stored, they can apply for the Type A service. Customers who have unsubscribed from PlayOnline can apply for the Type B service. To learn more about the "Return Home to Vana'diel" campaign, visit the official FINAL FANTASY XI Web site at http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml. The "Return Home to Vana'diel" campaign will run until February 29, 2008.

Uniting players in North America, Europe and Japan, FINAL FANTASY XI is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game capable of simultaneous communication across multiple platforms: PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Windows® and Xbox 360®. Now in its fifth year of service, FINAL FANTASY XI has a community of more than 500,000 subscribers and more than 1.7 million player characters from around the world.

The official FINAL FANTASY XI Web site can be found at http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml.

After sitting through the forty five minute Square trailer extravaganza at TGS, I'm a bit surprised I didn't see this one included in that mix although this is being touted as the "TGS Trailer". Square's booth was packed and bigger than most houses so I guess it's not too much of a shock that I missed it. Final Fantasy XI Online has struggled a bit to keep up with it's FF brothers. Will this be the one that brings it back into the public consciousness? I don't know, but this trailer sure looks nice, but then again, don't they all?

While Nintendo's clumsy and spartan online game offerings should ensure that this comes as a surprise to no one, Tanaka did reveal a slight surprise, according to Gamespot's report, in that he'll soon be able to reveal more of his next-gen online RPG. I've got five bucks on Final Fantasy XI-II.

Square Enix: Nintendo saying no to cross-platform MMOs [Gamespot]

...we are currently planning an exclusive in-game item for this event. I can't talk too much about it, but I've seen it and I can't wait to unveil it!

If you haven't gotten enough Final Fantasy XI: Online, there's an expansion pack coming. Excited? Well, just look at these folks. They've even got their cell phones out and are sending questions to the Final Fantasy XI: Online Althena no Shinpei Q&A so that their questions can be read live on stage.

Yup. Brian Ashcraft

Along with her husband, whom she says was also so obsessed with the Square-Enix-developed MMO, the two played to the point where the two quit their jobs and lived off of their credit cards. It's an interesting piece, minus the typical network news sensationalism. The spot is presented by Daniel Sieberg, who himself appears to be a World of Warcraft player, giving the segment a credibility buff.

I suppose there are some who will criticize the Johnson family for their "addiction" to online escapism, but have you seen those adorable little Tarutarus? Addictively precious! Michael McWhertor

Online Gaming Isn't Just Child's Play [CBS]

By: Lesley Smith

Standing outside Square Enix's UK offices is a surreal experience. Slap bang in the middle of London, a stone's throw from the river and a massive roundabout, only the plain sign betrays that inside a normal building is the offices of the publisher responsible for so many great franchises. And my reason for standing there? To mark the European release of Final Fantasy III on the DS and the German and French versions of Final Fantasy XI, Square Enix arranged a press event and interview opportunities with Tanaka Hiromichi-san.

Strolling onto their floor, the first thing which greets you in the lobby is a life-size statue of one of Final Fantasy XII's fearsome Archadian Judges in full armor. PR maestro Alex Huhtala had explained their UK headquarters was just your run-of-the-mill office but, to be fair, normal offices don't have giant armor-wearing Judges! The rest of the floor is just as colorful, walls are decorated with framed Japanese adverts, there are huge replica boxes and standees for Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest and, of course, various installments of Final Fantasy.

Moments later I was guided into a large meeting room, dominated by a projector looping footage of Final Fantasy XI and two PCs running the different versions of the game. I grabbed a quick drink and had a go, I have a little knowledge of French and a lot of German from high school and both come in handy. As I played, I started chatting to one of the localisation folk who explained a little about the process.

As lunch rolled in and Square Enix employees began appearing out of the woodwork. it was time to mingle. As well as representatives from various websites and magazines, there was the editorial team from Official Nintendo Magazine, half of Square Enix's own PR department, Tanaka-san himself and his translator Saori-san.

I did find time to play on Final Fantasy III. Like many gamers I've played the original via emulators but the DS version boasts souped up graphics, a truly stunning opening FMV and the use of the touch screen is intuitive and very easy to use. I'm not the world's biggest RPG fan (I prefer games with a beginning, middle and end, rather that ones which require dozens of hours levelling up) but I was impressed. The random battles was a little annoying the I can't wait to get my hands on the final code.

Although I didn't get as much time to play the game as I'd have liked. Final Fantasy III certainly looks to be an excellent port. The touch screen lets you direct characters with a finger or stylus. It did take me a few minutes to figure out exactly how to navigate Luneth through a dungeon but the learning curve is about two minutes. Double tapping will trigger attacks on enemies or open chests and while there is a menu screen, the controls now revolve around the DS Lite's revolutionary feature. The characters are rendered in 3-D with 2-D environments that are much more graphically intensive. Okay the game would never pass on a TV screen but that's not the point; it's ideally suited to the DS and has lots of interesting WiFi options, so I'm told. I got to play from a ROM cart so I don't think all the features, bar the English translation itself were present.

Finally it was time to meet The Man himself. Together with Adam Riley of the Nintendo website Cubed, we headed into an adjacent room to be introduced to Tanaka-san. I normally get nervous when I'm interviewing and this was the second time I'd gotten to grill a founding member of the Final Fantasy franchise. It's still quite a nerve-racking experience and my eyes kept wandering to the DS Lite on the table which was looping the gorgeous Final Fantasy III FMV.

Tanaka-san even had the first Limited Edition Final Fantasy III DS Lite with him. A great photo op was had and Alex made sure to hand me a black gift bag filled with goodies including seven limited edition Final Fantasy III figures (three of which aren't being released in Europe) and a Final Fantasy XI USB drive. Swag just makes press events that much sweeter. While the event was a lot more relaxed and low key than others I've been to (and, frankly, I prefer them like that), it was an excellent day and well worth the four hour train trip down to London Town.

Disturbed pizza manager Michael Devlin kidnaps two boys, gets caught, put on suicide watch and all he wants to do is play Final Fantasy XI. If he hadn't gotten captured, one shudders to think what he'd be doing. But Devlin says:

I'd be in front of my computer screen playing Final Fantasy XI. I like Final Fantasy because it has a network that can connect to people all over the world, from Europe to Japan.

A ringing endorsement of networked gaming! Ugh. Under the name "DevilDevlin," he used a picture of one of the kidnapped boys for his GamerTagPic. On January 11th, he got in a round of Final Fantasy XI before the children were rescued. But with no FF in the slammer, Devlin's doing things like reading another inmate's copy of Death Wish, the novel which the Charles Bronson films are based on. How's that for prison rehabilitation. Brian Ashcraft

Kidnapper Wants FF [Fox News, Thanks Scott!]

We can all breathe a sigh of relief: the rumors of Final Fantasy XI-2 are greatly exaggerated. From Square-Enix themselves, courtesy of Luke Smith over at 1UP, who's gonna find face bleeding into his ass if he calls me 'Kotaku's lippy new kid' one more time:

As the Company announced in May 2005, it is currently developing an online title for next-generation platforms including game consoles and PCs; however, this title is being developed as a completely new MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online RPG). We will disclose further details of this title, including platform compatibility, immediately after any relevant decisions are made.

So what's the new project? Who knows. Hydrocephalus Online or some variation thereof. Florian Eckhardt

Final Fantasy XI-2? Square Says 'Nope'
Previously: Final Fantasy XI. II. Obligatory Electric Boogaloo.

No one in America really likes Final Fantasy XI. It's just a throwback to the MMORPG conventions that we all gleefully abandoned about the time World of Warcraft came out. It's the sort of game that appeals only to those who are willing to become soulless zombies surrounded by jars of fluorescent urine to appease The Grind.

No where did FFXI fail as badly as it did on the 360, where it only sold 72,194 copies. But Square-Enix seems to be taking an entirely different message away from this than the obvious one: your MMORPG sucks. They think it needs to be revamped for the 360, as well as the PS3.

According to Nikkei.net:

Square Enix will develop a sequel to Final Fantasy XI ... for three platforms: Sony Computer Entertainment's next-generation PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360, and the Windows Vista PC operating system.

In accordance with all Final Fantasy games with two sets of roman numerals after the title, we think the gameplay should feature a lot of picking out which type of wisdom-increasing panties to dress our pubescent teenage girl avatar in. Florian Eckhardt

Final Fantasy XI II in the works? [Gamespot]

I spent most of last night playing Final Fantasy XI on my Xbox 360. Actually, I spent most of last night loading the damn thing onto my Xbox 360.

To START your wonderful journey into the land of Vana'diel you have to enter five registration codes, input a boatload of personal information, enter a credit card and do about two hours of downloading content to your harddrive.

After getting through that wonderfully idiotic system you get to create your character, which to my surprise required more data entry and credit card purchasing. Finally, character at your call, you'll find yourself in one of the main cities of the game.

By this point in my adventures in data entry I had literally fallen asleep on my couch... twice. It may have been the fact that I was still half asleep when I started playing, but it took me forever to actually find my way out of the labyrynthine streets of my particular city and into a place where I could actually kill stuff.

I was happy to discover two things about my play experience: The Xbox 360 had no problem letting me plug in a USB keyboard and use it in the game (I used my PS2 keyboard by Logitech. Ahh, delicious irony.) and I didn't really need to use the keyboard.

Sure it was great to have it when I wanted to talk to someone, but when it came to actually playing the game, they controller was perfectly set-up to handle all of my controls.

I was a little disappointed with the graphics of the game, especially after watching that amazing video leading into my hours of data entry, but it wasn't bad... just not next-gen looking.

I'll have to spend another night actually playing the game before I can get a real sense of what I think of the game itself. Has anyone else signed in yet?

Brain Age (DS)
The non-game mega hit makes its way stateside for the low low price of $19.99. Who out there is gonna pay to do math on the go? Also, sudoku!!

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (PC, Xbox)
The adventure genre gets a kick in the pants with this sequel to 2000's The Longest Journey. Expect more action this time, so if you're limited to slow paced pointing and clicking, beware.

Final Fantasy XI Online: The Treasures of Aht Urhgan (PS2, PC)
FFIX players get a new expansion. Blue Mages and Mamool Ja get! Anyone out there still playing this?

Final Fantasy XI Online (Xbox 360)
Xbox 360 owners get the full package — the original plus both expansion packs. Xbox Live MMO goodness!

WRC: FIA World Rally Championship (PSP)
The numbers: 30 cars, 36 drivers, 16 official rallies, 64 stages, 6 game modes, 8 player ad-hoc wi-fi. 1 hell of a racing game.

I'm gonna snag Brain Age, and given my father's recent Sudoku obsession, maybe a parental Nintendo DS. What are YOU getting this week?

Making the move that almost every MMO known to humankind needs to make, Square Enix and PlayOnline pulled out a heavy dose of the ban stick in their MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, according to a press release. The release makes it sound like a Shield-esque strike team effort, though instead of guns and drugs, think Game Masters poring over "Gil" (FFXI's currency) records and banning the bejesus out of some Gil farmers.

Blizzard, is your laptop on? Are you paying attention? Taking notes? I sure hope so.

RMT Countermeasures [PlayOnline]

Pixel Gamers reports that the beta testing for the Xbox 360s first MMO, Final Fantasy XI (yes, that game) will conclude in early April before the game heads to retail in the middle of the month.

Final Fantasy Xi Beta to End in April [Pixel Gamers]

Europe and Japan will see their versions of the Square Enix MMORPG release on April 20. What's the hold up in America? Well, probably that Square Enix is including all three expansions for Final Fantasy XI in the U.S. version, including the new Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion. The U.S. release is expected April 18.
Final Fantasy XI Gets a Date [Pixel Gamers]

Team Xbox reports that coveted Final Fantasy XI beta discs will be given away in the next issue of Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine. The beta comes on a second disc (in addition to the monthly disc of treats) and is good for the duration of the FFXI beta. Aside from a hard-to-find 360, just make sure you have a hard drive for your box and a cable connection. Once the beta goes live you can play an MMO that's been out on your PC for years.

FFXI Online Beta Available Exclusively Through Official Xbox Magazine [Team Xbox]

Microsoft announced that Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360 will be making its U.S. "debut" at Zero Hour tonight.

They didn't really say what that meant. Will it be playable, will it be just a big video of cut scenes?

Fortunately, our very own Kourosh will be partying down at Zero Hour for the next 24 hours and hopefully can report back to us just what's going on.

Last time I talked to him it wasn't clear if he would have WiFi access to post live from the event or would have to wait to return to sanity and the confines of his home to put up what he experienced in the hanger.

I'll make sure to let you know as soon as I hear anything.
Zero Hour [Official Site]

The beta testing for Final Fantasy XI on the Xbox 360 will begin with the console s launch in Japan, Microsoft announced. Gamers that buy the limited edition 360 pack on December 10 will also score a free FFXI beta test disc while supplies last. If you want to do the beta you ll have to A) Live in Japan. And B) Sign up for it through Square Enix s PlayOnline service and Xbox Live.

What? Two online services for the 360, that s annoying as hell.

Xbox 360 FFXI s beta detailed [Yahoo Video Games]