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360 FFXI beta ending April-ish

  • By Hirohiko Niizumi, GameSpot
  • Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:28 am PT

Japanese beta test period for the Xbox 360 version of FFXI will finish April alongside PC, PS2 expansion launch.

TOKYO--In Japan, Square Enix announced that the Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XI beta will end shortly before the game's release on April 20 in Japan. (The game launches April 18 in North America.) Square Enix hasn't disclosed the exact date of when the beta test will end, as it is still investigating whether it can let beta-testers migrate their accounts to the official FFXI servers without causing any technical problems. The publisher will make an official announcement soon.

April 20 will also mark the release of the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion for the PC and PlayStation 2 versions of FFXI. The expansion will be included in the regular version Xbox 360 FFXI, which also comes with the two previous upgrades (Girade no Genei and Chains of Promathia) integrated into the game. The next-gen version of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game will sport a larger user interface for HDTVs, and it will allow the numeric keypad on USB keyboards to be used for text input as well as character control.

Currently, the Xbox 360 FFXI beta test is taking place solely on the Hydra world server. However, Square Enix has said that the volume of Xbox 360 players on the server is far exceeding that of other world servers. The company states that there are tens of thousands of Xbox 360 users participating in the beta test, mostly from the United States and Europe.

43 Comments

  • electrikALIEN

    Posted Feb 6, 2006 6:30 am GMT

    I'd just like to echo. FFXI is hands down the best MMO i've played. I prefer the completely stategic battle system and how refined so many parts of the game are. FFXI is deep. Really deep. Problem is, FFXI takes a ton of commitment and devotion. It really makes itself a second virtual life. I should know, I played it for 2 years straight.

    WoW, on the other hand, is more popular probably because it is more accessible, easier, and soloable. You don't need to spend 5+ hours of constant grinding to reach the next level (or in FFXI's case 20,000tnl.... yay....). I'm currently playing WoW, but I do miss the fine-tuned play of FFXI.

  • randy915

    Posted Feb 4, 2006 12:32 am GMT

    For those people dissing FFXI because of their 2004 play experience, try playing it now. The game has matured quite a bit and SE ironed out a lot of the wrinkles. Hate to grind? There's new ways to gain exp with instances and quests that can be done every 5 IRL days totalling over 10K of exp (that's about 1/2 to 1/4 a level if you spend some time doing them). There 's a new exp ring that can be casted every 16 IRL hours and adds 50% exp on a kill up to 1000 bonus exp. They tweaked how much exp you get for fighting mobs too and the new gear makes battles a bit more easier and not to mention a matured player skill level. I could write more but basically the game is very balanced now and is the best choice of MMO to bring to the 360.

  • Skywise15412

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 12:30 pm GMT

    The Beta is RIGHTEOUS!!!! my PC SUCKS!!! and i'm not that great on a keyboard plus with the improved graphics the 360 Beta is awesome!!!! i kinda want to keep my character, though i don't mind starting out fresh cause i won't make alot of the mistake that i did. Plus with the 360 getting FFXI this will finally give ppl the chance 2 play their first MMO because they 2 might have crappy CPU's this going to bring alot of new types of players to the 360.

    Remember a could classic is hard to beat. look at Zelda for example the series never ends and ppl still love it!! Say what u want about WoW i might like it more than FFXI if my PC didn't suck and if it is on PS2 it also freezes when it feels like it but i can always depend on my Xbox's 360 is RIGHTEOUS!!!!!!!!!

  • ApisBee

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 11:48 am GMT

    To terrabreak13's concerns about playing along side of PC and PS2 players. No worries. As a PC player, I could not tell that another player was on the PS2 or not. If the other player on a PS2 is not using a keyboard, they won't be chatting too much. It's only the PS2 users who are stuck with the low rez graphics. No problems finding a low level party to join, there's plenty of players leveling there sub-jobs and new players starting up. The only problem when the 360 jumps into the other servers is the sticker shock at the AH. Last I looked, Titan server's AH items sold around 10X the price of Hydra's.

  • viper15

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 11:38 am GMT

    i got to level 20 in less than a week its easy if your not a noob lmao

  • terrabreak13

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 8:54 am GMT

    CheatRZ: "Right now, for the 360 beta, just those who own a x360 can play together; But when the game releases, it's said that PC, PS2, and X360 owners of the game can play together." ------ I'm not so sure about this. I got the Beta only about 2 days late and ran into ppl with level 22 rank. I think it's impossible to gain that kind of rank in such a short time. Unless we share the same server as the Japanese gamers who had the game since Dec. 10.

  • Seraphim_24

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 7:57 am GMT

    I stopped playing FF XI because teh PS2 version looks terrible on my freaking huge TV so it gave me a headache, and I never could configure my PC controller just right on the PC version. Guess I'm not smart enough for all that crap... I shouldn't have to configure it it should just work!
    At any rate I was really happy when this got announced for the 360, and have been loving the beta to death... I just can't wait to log back into Kujata and play as good ol Seraphim again... Plus all my friends are on Kujata...

  • myballstingle

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 6:44 am GMT

    I'VE JUST NOTICED CROWDING/LAG IN JUENO. ALL OF THE OTHER CITIES ARE FINE.

    theirishweasel wrote:

    Well, i'm glad to hear this kind of crowding isn't typical...I've been playing the beta for about 2 weeks now, and the crowding inside the cities is INSANE.

  • ewjim

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 2:44 am GMT

    I don't play in on-line games, even if they good...

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 1:07 am GMT

    all i can about the 360 beta..i have beta disk, but thats because i wanted it XD..
    all i want is, Treasures of Aht Urhga(for PC). so i can play as Blue mage. and give Samurai a break.

  • theirishweasel

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 8:20 pm GMT

    Well, i'm glad to hear this kind of crowding isn't typical...I've been playing the beta for about 2 weeks now, and the crowding inside the cities is INSANE.

  • Cheeseboy90

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 6:53 pm GMT

    Maple Story >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Final Fantasy XI.

  • dusteater

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 6:49 pm GMT

    Final Fantasy XI sucks! Bring on Final Fantasy 12!

  • ApisBee

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:58 pm GMT

    I played FFXI for a year on the PC, now three weeks with the 360. Couldn't afford the HDTV and the TV looked like crud, so went with the VGA and a 20.1 wide LCD and WOW!. I'm a Yag killing machine, let the culling begin...

  • Thakingk05

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:40 pm GMT

    forget FF Xi. Lets get world of worldcraft. I have the beta on my 360. Dont really like it.

  • Mindphaser

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 3:51 pm GMT

    I tried the beta, it is absolute garbage. Tne entire game is trash. They should just kill off FF already and move on.

  • MaChaorules

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 3:08 pm GMT

    i got over 2 months to play how fun

  • _sean_05

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 2:31 pm GMT

    this gam ewon't move ANY consoles, espec. with XII coming so soon. lol

  • OPOLO

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:31 pm GMT

    Well I've been playing this game on PS2 since it came out & I was looking forward to playing it on my 360 - HOWEVER - I'm done with this game - selling account & gil very soon - sorry.

    btw - I have a ton of reason's why I'm selling out

  • RX-78GP02A

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:28 pm GMT

    FF7 the best game of all time came out in 1997 not when the PS2 came out in 2000. Know your stuff man.

  • tidusjeff

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:26 pm GMT

    Can't wait to play it on the xbox 360. I hope the final version of ffxi on the 360 wont take that long to install, on my ps2 it only took me about 50 minutes.

  • killerajax

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:25 pm GMT

    Not a old game. Because the 360 getting the new expansion with the game.
    If Microsoft gets control of Console MMORPGs market. Say good bye Sony Online Entertainment.
    Also Asheron Call is still out . How old is that game?

  • birdinflight

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:20 pm GMT

    I don't think a lot of people, that played the beta, will end up purchasing the full game when it is released. The beta gives off negative impressions on what the gameplay of the retail version will be (even if the impressions may not be true). The overload of characters on the server stands as the one major fault that everyone seemed to be complaining about (especially when you are struggling through the lower levels).

    I just know that I wasn't all that impressed with it, even when it wasn't on an overloaded server. I guess you have to be a Final Fantasy/MMORPG fantatic to appreciate the game. I'm neither of those, so I'll be avoiding it.

  • Tamashii_Sensei

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:17 pm GMT

    Please Square Enix, let us keep our beta characters. ._.

  • liquidcourage1

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:02 pm GMT

    better than no MMO... and it gets them off the ground in that respect. Plus it give the X360 a Final Fantasy game in the first year of release.

    Don't forget... people were drooling over the PS3 tech demo of FFVII... and how old is that game? It came out when the PS2 did. So do the math.

    Bottom line: A good game doesn't stop being a good game. I still love Contra (NES).

  • xxPantherxx

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:47 pm GMT

    so... the Xbox 360 gets an MMO thats 2-3 years old?

  • skitzocyko

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:44 pm GMT

    COOL!!

  • Imavnas

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:43 pm GMT

    meh, Square and MMO's dont mix and match for me. Evercrack isnt entertaining, and FFXI's dependance on BEING online all the time detracts from the overall game experience (I mean seriously, it takes FOREVER just to get to lvl 20, but then u have to go out of ur way to ACQUIRE the jobs that BECOME available at those lvls, talk about a waste of time, have them available from the get goat least). True the game has far more cinematic flair than WoW for example (and pretty much any other MMO's) but after I played on the PC beta for the first release and then further moved to playing the non beta till I got to lvl 48 (Red Mage/summoner if ur wondering) I came to the conclusion that i dont really care for the world of Vanadiel. It just doesnt seem even remotely as epic as WoW's world. In regards to Squeenix's next-gen MMO, Optimus, you can be sure that if the PS3 has at the least a decent online system that it will also play the game. Squeenix is till committed to releasing on Sony platfroms and thats not going to change. Only recently did it start to spread out to other consoles with the release of the 360. Not saying this because im a Sony fanboy (I own a 360 after all) but because their track record pretty much sums that up.

  • Khimarhi

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:16 pm GMT

    only played a couple hours of beta so i need to get around to it. Kind of disappointing after playing WoW but it's still a good game

  • Optimusv2

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:13 pm GMT

    Square is bringing a brand new mmorpg out which will most likely a release on both the 360 and ps3.

    Its already set in stone for the 360.

  • EliteDragon

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:11 pm GMT

    Nice! Can't wait for the actual game to come out!

  • pie4u

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:07 pm GMT

    Because they dont like the sound of FFXII

  • cdriccio

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:03 pm GMT

    Yeah I look back at when I played this on PC and think... man... WoW just trumps this.

    Guildwars too.

    Not sure why they are even bringing this out when they could be focusing on something new.

  • colinjennison

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:56 am GMT

    Yup. FF XI is just not very good. But I've played WoW for like a year so maybe that's why.

  • CheatRZ

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:54 am GMT

    "can the ps2 and pc servers user paly together? and same question with 360 added in?" -- Right now, for the 360 beta, just those who own a x360 can play together; But when the game releases, it's said that PC, PS2, and X360 owners of the game can play together.

  • Agent5000

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:44 am GMT

    So we "360 people" won't be able to use the headset instead of the keyboard?!

  • frankeyser

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:42 am GMT

    can the ps2 and pc servers user paly together? and same question with 360 added in?

  • invader_luj

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:39 am GMT

    3 more months of free beta...im game

  • timinator18

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:35 am GMT

    im not getting a 360, but its stil good news for 360 ppl

  • timinator18

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:34 am GMT

    yay!! april

  • hieverybody123

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:33 am GMT

    thats fair cool - props to microsoft for getting an MMO going on their console.... could be a new standard in online gaming (btw - im a nintendo fanboy, so this was hard to say )

  • Donkeljohn

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:33 am GMT

    How fun! I miss the Beta.

  • omarguy01

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 11:33 am GMT

    wow. people still play the ps2 version???

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