Final Fantasy XI Anniversary

Square Enix Launches New Site Commemorating Upcoming Final Fantasy XI 20th Anniversary

Square Enix has opened up a new site ahead of Final Fantasy XI‘s 20th Anniversary, featuring exclusive interviews with producers and those involved in the game’s development and other special content. The website features three separate components which Square Enix will update periodically as time passes, leading up to the game’s 20th anniversary on May 16, 2022.

Final Fantasy XI is an MMORPG that launched for PCs and PlayStation 2 in 2002. While its popularity has faded over time, the game is considered the world’s first cross-platform game and was a groundbreaking title in many ways. FFXI played a big role in the history of the PS2 as one of the first games to take advantage of the PS2’s network adapter add-on, and it was the last server active on the PS2’s online service. It was also the first online game in the Final Fantasy franchise and paved the way for the massively popular Final Fantasy XIV.

The first part of the website, outlined by FFXI producer Akihiko Matsui, is a complete chronological timeline of the game from the beginning of its closed beta test in 2001 to the present day. Titled “We Remember Vana’diel”, the timeline also includes short segments of commentary from various producers and directors that were involved with the game at the time.

Additionally, the website also includes a series of interviews with prominent members of the game’s development, titled “We Discuss Vana’diel”. The first round of interviews features Matsui and Hiromichi Tanaka, the original producer of Final Fantasy XI, who now works at GungHo Online Entertainment. In it, the two developers talk about the beginnings of the game, including how series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi had initially pitched the idea of an online Final Fantasy game after heavily playing Everquest.

Finally, the website features a collection of official artwork and illustrations including “rare pieces that have never been displayed before”. The collection consists of six volumes, and the first one is a collection of artwork from popular artist Toshitaka Amano. Square Enix plans to release more of these pieces in the future.

[Source: 4Gamer]

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