Recent News/Archive 5

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Recent News Archive 5

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We will be attending the Japan Expo in Paris between the 2nd and 5th of July. Come and visit our booth, where we will be selling official Square Enix merchandise. Get your hands on FINAL FANTASY XI goods at a special discounted price for the event, but be quick, as they will only be available on a limited basis!

The Japan Expo, reaching its 10th anniversary this year, is an annual event focused on celebrating all aspects of Japanese culture, from traditional music and clothing to modern pop culture; including film, manga, anime and games.

For more information, click.

Brave warriors of the Allied Forces of Altana, heed these words! New battlefields and new orders await you with the coming of the new version update. Your mission will not be easy, but rest assured that you will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts.

If you would take up arms for the cause, you may for your briefing.

Have you ever missed an issue of the FINAL FANTASY Newsletter? Ever felt left out when you overheard other adventurers discussing a hot news item that escaped your eye? Fret not, for we have the solution for you—the new FINAL FANTASY XI Newsletter Archive! Containing each and every issue that's left the presses—even those one-shot special editions that collectors are chasing after—you'll never be behind the times again! Catch up on past developments, then peruse the FAQ to ensure that you don't miss out on any future deliveries!

Click here to visit the newly launched FINAL FANTASY XI Newsletter Archive site.

We're pleased to announce that all submissions to the 7th Anniversary Fan Art Contest are now available for your viewing pleasure!

This year's edition of the contest attracted a whopping four hundred entries from fans the world over. With so many varied interpretations of this year's 7th Anniversary theme, there is bound to be something among the scores of masterpieces that will tug at your heartstrings!

We encourage one and all to admire and be inspired by the artwork born from the hands of your fellow adventurers!

Proceed here for the online gallery!

We're pleased to inform you that the upcoming version update is on track for a late July release! The development and quality assurance teams are hard at work cooking up a whole slew of exciting new content that will feature the continuation of the Wings of the Goddess missions, new areas in past Vana'diel, job adjustments, additions and refinements for Campaign and Moblin Maze Mongers, and much, much more.

Details on all the new features will be released here in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes glued to this space!

Ever since the introduction of Besieged to Vana'diel approximately three years ago, Siren has emerged as the only world to maintain an immaculate, undefeated record. And as of May 27th 2009, this record has reached an amazing 2000 consecutive victories!

We would like to offer our heartiest congratulations to all the denizens of Siren World, and wish good fortune to those in all worlds who do their part in the frenetic defense of the Imperial Capital, Al Zahbi.

We are proud to announce the all-new, revitalized FINAL FANTASY XI Community Sites page!

With today's update, preexisting features such as the search engine and weekly rankings have become even easier to use! Additionally, the newly designed community site tool and community site kit have both undergone stunning makeovers that feature everyone's favorite FINAL FANTASY XI characters.

Need a little help in your adventures or in running your own site? Then be sure to visit the new Community Sites page!

Visit the new FINAL FANTASY XI Community Sites page here. Click here for information on the community site tool.

Up until now, adventurers wishing to make a comeback from early retirement have had to wait for the limited-time event, the Welcome Home to Vana'diel Campaign, to swing around. But due to popular demand, from today onwards, we are proud to announce that this long-serving campaign has been succeeded by a permanent feature: the "Character Reactivation Service"!

Unlike the Welcome Home to Vana'diel Campaign of old, no bonus items will be distributed to users of this new service. However, we feel that this will be more than compensated for by the fact that your retired heroes can be restored to active service whenever the itch for adventure overwhelms you!

Seven glorious years have passed since adventurers began striking out for the far reaches of the ever-evolving realm of Vana'diel. What exciting changes has the world undergone since you last set foot upon it? There is only one way to find out!

Learn more about the Hero Revival Service.

The Community Team has concluded its first-ever Podcast Tour, and all three episodes are now live for everyone to listen to and enjoy! Pet Food Alpha spoke with Robert Peeler regarding the Community Team's role and the Square Enix commitment to global support, while He Says, She Says discussed in-game event planning with Matt Hilton. The tour concluded with Limit Break Radio speaking to both team members about the excitement of live events. Give each of the shows a listen today!

Tune into Pet Food Alpha, He Says, She Says, and Limit Break Radio today!

Hail, gallant adventurers! Thanks to your feats of detection and derring-do, the lost Mog Tablets of King Kupofried have been recovered, and their mystic "Super Kupowers" freed to fill the realm with happiness and joy. The first phase of the quest will soon draw to a close, but fear not! After a random period of time (eight to twenty-four hours), the tablets will once more be scattered to the winds, and the quest will begin anew!

Would-be relic hunters be warned! The ethereal glow of the tablets will be faint this time around, testing your sleuthing skills to the fullest.

But stand strong, and shirk not from your moogle-appointed task! Restore the eleven tablets and their Super Kupowers to Vana'diel, and this time you could be among those to claim the elusive Kupofried's Ring!

Peruse the full details of the Mog Tablet quest.

When we announced this year's Fan Art Contest with a special 7th Anniversary theme, we fully expected our talented players across the globe to produce some truly spectacular specimens. Still, nothing could have prepared us for the veritable cornucopia of captivating masterpieces that were submitted!

After days and nights spent poring over more than four hundred highly worthy entries, our development and operations team members have selected the thirty pieces that we felt best captured the anniversary spirit while also exhibiting the highest degree of artistic expression.

Who will claim the coveted Crystal Prize this year? The results you've been waiting for are here!

In the forthcoming days, all entries will be displayed on this site, so be sure to check back for yet more exemplary artwork!

It's almost time for this year's FINAL FANTASY XI Vana'diel Census! We'll be taking a look behind the scenes at the numbers that made up your world in the past year. For the 9th Vana'diel Census, we'll be trying something different: a preliminary survey to find out all about each adventurer's day-to-day life in Vana'diel.

That means we need your help! Even if you're a silent ninja, a shy scholar, or a bard with laryngitis, let your voice be heard! Together, we can make the 9th Vana'diel Census the best one yet!

Participate in the survey here.

The survey will be conducted from May 14, 2009 at 3:00 a.m. (PDT) to May 25, 2009 at the same hour.

Ladies and gentlemen! The event that adventurer dreams are made of—Mog Bonanza—is nigh!

Without a doubt, topics such as "what numbers are you going to pick?" and "what prize would you choose if you won?" are dominating conversations among friends and fellow linkshell members at this very moment. Proceed to learn how your dreams might be made reality via Mog Bonanza.

"* Bonanza marbles will be available for purchase from Friday, May 15th, at 19:00pm."

Seven years... That's right folks—seven glorious years have zipped by at the speed of a race-bred chocobo since adventurers began stepping forth into the wilds of Vana'diel. This year, as in the past, we will be holding the Adventurer Appreciation Campaign as a way to express the incalculable feelings of gratitude we harbor for all the loyal and stalwart adventurers out there. And to make this year's celebration even more festive than previous occasions, there are plans for—

Hm? That moogle over there with her head in a turban is gesturing for me to shut my trap like there's no tomorrow. I guess I'd best leave the rest to the professionals...

Proceed to lend an ear to the overexcited moogle's spiel.

Pet Food Alpha has kicked off the first leg of the Community Team Podcast Tour! The episode introduces the Community Team and discusses the Square Enix commitment to global support of FINAL FANTASY XI. Be sure to check out Pet Food Alpha and this initial look into the role of the Community Team!

We'd also like to remind players about the upcoming two episodes of He Says She Says and Limit Break Radio where guests from the Community Team will be providing more insight on in-game seasonal events and FINAL FANTASY XI live events! Please note that the air dates have been updated:

- Pet Food Alpha with Robert Peeler: Available Now! - He Says She Says with Matt Hilton: 5/6 - Limit Break Radio with Robert Peeler and Matt Hilton: 5/13

Visit Pet Food Alpha, He Says She Says, and Limit Break Radio for more details!

Brush off your bamboo swords and gird yourselves for a breathtaking battle royale, as the favored fete of lionhearted young lads everywhere—that exhilarating Far Eastern extravaganza of courage and valor known as the Feast of Swords—is set to make its triumphant return!

What hair-raising hijinks await participants in this year's event? to find out!


 * The Feast of Swords will come whirling into town on Tuesday, April 28 at 1:00 a.m. (PDT) and return to its sheath Tuesday, May 12 at the same hour.

Psst, you. Yes, you, kupo! You know the nomad moogles, do you not? Turbans wrapped around their heads, looking like they just came back from a cross-Vana'diel hiking expedition? Well, believe it or not, some say that they're actually the descendants of an ancient, long-lost moogle civilization that holds the key to a fabled treasure, kupo!

What's that? Just another tall moogle tale, you say?

Fine, then! Don't. You don't know what you're missing out on, kupo...

It is our distinct pleasure to announce that during the third week of April, the total number of active characters across all worlds in FINAL FANTASY XI has exceeded the two million mark for the first time! Since the commencement of service on May 16th, 2002, Vana'diel has gone on to become a vibrant gathering place for adventurers hailing from all corners of the globe. Boasting four expansions and one add-on scenario with two more in the pipes, FINAL FANTASY XI continues to evolve into an ever richer realm of magic and adventure.

We would like to thank you, our fans, for your loyal patronage over the years, and look forward to your continued support for many more to come.

The annual Fan Art Contest regularly attracts participants the world over, and this year is no exception. We would like to remind all the aspiring artists out there that the submission period for this year's edition of the contest is due to close two weeks from now.

Submitted illustrations will be made available for the admiring pleasure of the entire world by way of an online gallery accessible via Topics. All entries will be judged by a star-studded panel consisting of development, operations, community and localization team members, with selected winners awarded a special prize – the "Nomad Moogle Rod" in-game item!

Be sure to send in your masterpiece by the Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 deadline. Don't miss this chance to flex your creative muscles and be a part of this premier community event!

Learn how to participate.


 * Please confirm all entry requirements and ensure that your artwork is attached in the correct format prior to submission.

It has been our distinct pleasure to reunite with the multitudes of adventurers that have returned home to Vana'diel via this year's campaign. Those of you who have yet to take advantage of this offer—take heart! The campaign will continue until Tuesday, April 28th at 1:00 a.m. (PDT).

Improvements to the system this time around have made it possible for the vast majority of your beloved characters—with only the rarest exceptions—to be reactivated, and participants will be rewarded with the ever-popular Anniversary Ring accessory. Don't miss out on this special opportunity!

For further details regarding the campaign and how to apply, see here.

The long-awaited April version update, featuring the first add-on scenario, "A Crystalline Prophecy," is finally in town! Bringing with it a slew of new content and refinements including Wings of the Goddess nation quests, the expansion of the Fields of Valor and Treasure Casket systems, a major upgrade to Moblin Maze Mongers, adjustments to jobs, the introduction of augmented items, and much more, this version update is sure to be a favorite with the crowds!

Peruse the seemingly endless list of improvements.

The fast-approaching April version update is set to be a veritable banquet of adjustments and additions catering to all adventurer palates, with the dishes on offer ranging from succulent morsels of Salvage to delightful bite-sized treats such as the new "/bell" text command.

Proceed for the appetite-whetting details!

FINAL FANTASY XI community podcast sites have been informing and entertaining players for years. With new sites joining the audible medium and releasing new episodes each week, the Square Enix Community Team is looking to take advantage of this opportunity and appear as guests in their own Podcast Tour! Catch each exciting appearance as they air on Pet Food Alpha, He Says She Says, and Limit Break Radio throughout the months of April and May. Players may even have a chance to participate in an episode and win spectacular prizes!

Visit Pet Food Alpha, He Says She Says, and Limit Break Radio for more details!

We're pleased to announce that the Square Enix Security Token is now available for purchase via the PlayOnline Viewer! The token greatly increases the security of PlayOnline accounts by requiring users to log on using a one-time password, updated every 30 seconds, which is displayed on the token's screen.

Also debuting alongside the Square Enix Security Token is the new "Square Enix Account" system. Square Enix Accounts are compatible with FINAL FANTASY XI and PlayOnline, as well as other future online services. Users must first register a Square Enix Account, which is a free service, in order to make use of the security token.


 * The Square Enix security token is available for purchase exclusively via the PlayOnline Viewer. The order page may be accessed from the FINAL FANTASY XI top page.

Click here to register a Square Enix Account.

The Square Enix Account information page may be accessed. Details on the in-game present for registered Square Enix account holders may be found.

As previously introduced, the Moblin Maze Mongers will be unveiling a wide range of additions and refinements to their line of custom-order mazes in the upcoming version update. What manner of subterranean adventures do Goldagrik and the gang have in store for you this time?

to find out!

After months of anticipation, we're pleased to announce that the ever-popular Fan Art Contest is making a triumphant return! Throughout the years, the Fan Art Contest has proven to be a popular creative outlet for our players, and we expect this year to be no different. To celebrate FINAL FANTASY XI entering into its seventh year of service on May 16th, the theme of this year's contest is the 7th Anniversary. Send us your masterful renditions of subjects such as "celebrating the anniversary with friends" or "the journey of adventurers throughout the years," or even share some of your treasured memories related to the contest's theme. Click for more details.

As spring ushers in longer days of bathing in the sun's rays, the return of vibrant colors to the wilderness, and itchy eyes and runny noses, we moogles fondly recollect the idyllic days spent incubating within the toasty warmth of our egg shells—a dreamy place where time flows by at a leisurely pace, kupo. Ah, how I long to return to that tranquil, untroubled period when a steadfast barrier of calcium carbonate stood between me and the trials and tribulations of the outside world...

Oh, uh...that's right, I'm supposed to be introducing the Egg Hunt Egg-stravaganza! A-ahem! This year's edition of the event promises never before egg-sperienced levels of egg-based egg-joyment, kupo! Erhm...maybe I went a wee bit too far with that last pun...

But getting back to the yolk of the matter, in addition to the perennial egg puns that you've all come to know and adore, the event will boast a splendid selegg-tion of egg-stremely egg-citing prizes that is bound to leave even the hardest of all hard cases shell-shocked in their baskets!

Need some more egging on? Then proceed !

The Egg Hunt event is set to begg-in on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 1:00 (PDT), and conclude on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 1:00.

Pet Food Alpha is giving away a ticket to the upcoming Distant Worlds Music From Final Fantasy concert series (featuring Nobuo Uematsu) in Seattle, Washington (airfare not included). Submissions will be accepted from April 7th until May 30th. Click here for details.

The Championship Match is here! Valkurm Emperor takes on Leaping Lizzy for the title. and and one of these intrepid and truly notorious monsters emerge victorious.

Their business booming thanks to the loyal patronage of adventurers across Vana'diel, the ever profit-minded Moblins of the Moblin Maze Mongers (MMM) have a few more tricks up their sleeve! To reward their loyal customers—and hopefully entice a few new ones in the process—MMM will be unveiling a host of new services and refinements to their line of custom-order dungeons in the upcoming version update.

for the first look!

In this second half of the announcement on job adjustments and additions planned for the April version update, we present to you a delectable array of changes that are bound to change the way you buff and summon!

Feast your eyes on the details.

This year marks the seventh anniversary of Final Fantasy XI, and to celebrate this most joyous of occasions, we?re proud to announce the return of the Mog Bonanza! What better way to show your adventuring spirit than by drowning yourself in a pool of gil while decked out in mega-rare gear that ordinary folk can only dream of? After all, only the Goddess knows what manner of good fortune this lucky-numbered anniversary will beckon to your Mog House!

Want to know all about the rules and prizes? Then simply !

* Please remember that all prizes won in the Mog Bonanza are virtual goods and cannot be redeemed for real-world money.

The upcoming April version update will boast a wealth of adjustments and additions to a selection of jobs. Today, it is our pleasure to outline the benefits that this will bestow upon white mages—the altruists of Vana'diel.

Drool over the details !

The first installment of three new add-on scenarios—"A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing"—is now available for advance purchase through PlayOnline! Access the order page from the "A Crystalline Prophecy" banner located on the main FINAL FANTASY XI page to purchase your registration code.

(*Players purchasing the scenario will receive access to the in-game content upon the release of the upcoming FINAL FANTASY XI version update scheduled for early April.) (*As with all forms of expanded content, the purchase of a single registration code for a given account will allow you to enjoy the add-on scenario with all characters created on that account.)

To commemorate the occasion, the official "A Crystalline Prophecy" site has been updated with the latest on the customizable equipment that awaits you as a reward for completing the scenario!

Head on over for all the details!

Square Enix Responds to 'A Crystalline Prophecy' Community Questions

The official promotional video for "A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing", the new add-on scenario currently on track for a Wednesday, April 8th release, is now available for viewing on the official site!

Feast your eyes on the trailer here!

The Square Enix Security Token, previously announced here on Topics, will be available for purchase via the PlayOnline Viewer on Tuesday, April 7th, 2009. The token greatly increases the security of PlayOnline accounts by requiring users log on using a constantly changing one-time password that is displayed on the token.

Also set to debut alongside the release of the Square Enix Security Token is the new "Square Enix Account" system. Square Enix Accounts will be compatible with FINAL FANTASY XI and PlayOnline, as well as other future online services. Users must first register a Square Enix Account, which is a free service, in order to make use of the security token.

Click for more details.

The trials and tragedies of each of the three nations are set to be further revealed in the fast-approaching April version update. With the dark shadow of the decisive battle between the warring factions looming ominously overhead, adventurers will delve deeper into the mysteries and intrigues of the Crystal War in the continuing episodes of nation quests in Wings of the Goddess!

Read the appetite-whetting previews here.

To celebrate the release of the new add-on scenario "A Crystalline Prophecy" in early April, it is our pleasure to announce that the Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign has been extended and will continue until Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 1:00 (PDT). The distribution period for the "Anniversary Ring" gift item available to eligible characters will also be extended to cater for this change.

FINAL FANTASY XI is set to undergo a plethora of exciting changes in the upcoming April version update. There has never been a better time to brush the cobwebs off your equipment and dive back into that magical world of mystery and adventure called Vana'diel!

To apply or read further details, click here!

The upcoming version update will usher in the "Augments" system, a new feature that will shatter your preconceptions about equipment and breathe new life into some of your most treasured pieces of armor.

for the exciting details!

For a limited time only, GameStop has lowered the price of Vana'diel Collection 2008, for Xbox 360 and Windows, to the low, low price of $14.99! Now is the perfect time to take advantage of this great deal and get your friends and family started off in the world of Vana'diel with all of the expansions in one easy-to-install package!

Visit GameStop to purchase Vana'diel Collection 2008!

As a result of growing account security concerns within the online gaming community, Square Enix is proud to introduce the Square Enix Security Token. The token greatly increases the security of PlayOnline accounts by allowing users to log on by using a constantly changing one-time password that is displayed on the screen. The Square Enix Security Token will be available for purchase through the PlayOnline Viewer in the near future for those who wish to take advantage of the added security this optional service provides. As a special incentive, each Square Enix Security Token will come with an exciting in-game bonus which may just prove indispensible during your many adventures in Vana'diel!

Information on the Security Token's release date and price, as well as further details regarding the in-game bonus, will be announced at a later date.

In the upcoming April version update, fearsome Notorious Monsters will take to the field in areas of past Vana'diel currently under the control of the Allied Forces.

for the tantalizing details.

The April version update will see coverage of the Fields of Valor and Treasure Casket systems extended to include areas introduced in the Rise of the Zilart expansion. Fields of Valor, in particular, is set to undergo a major upgrade that will further enhance its appeal to a broad range of adventurer palates.

Gorge yourself on the details.

The first installment of three new add-on scenarios, entitled "A Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing" will be available for advance purchase through PlayOnline starting from March 23, 2009. (*Players purchasing the scenario will receive access to the in-game content upon the release of the next FINAL FANTASY XI version update, scheduled for early April.)

In honor of this occasion, the official site for "A Crystalline Prophecy" has been updated with the latest news. Head on over to read all the exciting details! You also won't want to miss the new promotional trailer, scheduled for release in the coming days, so keep watching this space! Click here to access the official site.

Square Enix Responds to 'A Crystalline Prophecy' Community Questions

We're very eggcited to present this eggstraordinary eggsclusive contest by the fine folks at Allakhazam. Participants are able to take part in the festivities by decorating an egg in whatever fashion their imagination desires. Recreate your character in egg form, or bring to life a fierce opponent that you fondly remember defeating. The contest is open for everyone to enjoy, and even those not gifted in "eggification" may be able to win something memorable. Top prizes include a Shadow Lord sculpture, a signed Piano Collections CD, and other eggstravagant FINAL FANTASY XI goods. The Allakhazam Egg Fight is on now and will end on March 23, 2009, with voting beginning shortly thereafter, so get cracking on your masterpiece now! Click here for more details.

What adventurer hasn't long wished for a roomier receptacle to store the scores of sublime spoils snagged in the course of their abounding adventures across Vana'diel? Take heart, you Greedaloxes—your wait is over! Don't think you'll be able to procure this prodigious pouch free of charge, though, as the Goblin Bluffnix has devised a devious new assignment to test your mettle. What does the tightfisted taskmaster want from you this time? You'll just have to see for yourself in the upcoming version update!

It is our pleasure to announce that the next FINAL FANTASY XI version update has been scheduled for early April. Development is currently in progress for a whole host of items, including the following: - Thrilling new episodes of nation quests for Wings of the Goddess. - Battle-related adjustments and additions. - Large-scale expansion of the Moblin Maze Mongers and Fields of Valor systems.

Details will appear right here on Topics as they become available, so stay tuned!

Were you unable to attend the fan-packed Fan Festival last December? Then have we got some great news for you! We're very excited to share the wonderful concert that Kumi Tanioka held at the close of the show with adventurers the world over! Videos of her amazing performance have now been added to the Official Square Enix YouTube Channel. So pull up a chair, relax, and enjoy your front row seat for a show you won't soon forget.

Click here to view the first piece in the performance!

Are you made of sugar, spice, and everything nice? Is the mere thought of porcelain beauties with exquisitely-chiseled features, flowing locks, and elegant attire enough to set your maidenly heart aflutter? Or are you simply looking for a new trinket or two to furnish your Mog House in style? Come one, come all, for the Doll Festival has returned!

For all the delightful details on the 2009 Doll Festival, !.


 * *The Doll Festival will daintily tiptoe into town on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 0:00 a.m. (PST) and sashay elegantly from the scene at the same hour on Tuesday, March 3rd.

Fighting for peace, justice, and a swelling moggie bank... Charging headlong into the thick of danger without so much as a second thought for one's own safety... Such is the arduous life of a dauntless adventurer of Vana'diel.

But love is a battlefield of a very different sort, and those who dare not, know not the uplifting glory that it brings. For thoughts left unspoken are like seeds left unplanted in preparation for the coming spring.

Love will bloom only if the feelings you harbor for that special someone are allowed to see the light of day. And what better time to set those feelings free than during the Valentione's Day event, when all adventurers are given the chance to transform into warriors of love?

Learn all about the juicy details.


 * This year's Valentione's Day event is scheduled to commence on Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 0:00am and run until Monday, February 16th, 2009 at 0:00am.

Special Task Force Announcement (01/29/2009)

As was announced in last month's Special Task Force Report, the format through which we deliver news to you regarding our activities has been renewed. From this day onwards, information such as the total number of banned accounts for the previous month will be available for your perusal at the Special Task Force's very own homepage.

Click to learn more about these changes. Click here to access the newly inaugurated Special Task Force Official Homepage.

Our designers are hard at work drawing up the latest FINAL FANTASY XI accessories, and they're looking for your feedback! Interested in lending your voice to the creative process? Just follow the link below!

The survey will be available from midnight (00:00) on Wednesday, January 14th (PST) to midnight on Wednesday, January 28th (PST).

Interested parties can find the survey on this page. Thank you for your cooperation!

Starting today, we will be conducting a comprehensive survey covering all aspects of PlayOnline customer support. Your feedback regarding such features as GM support and the Information Center is invaluable to us in our effort to improve these services. We would greatly appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes to share your thoughts.

The survey will be available from Wednesday, January 7th at 1:00a.m. (PST) to Tuesday, January 13 at 1:00a.m (PST). Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! The survey is closed.

Best wishes for a happy New Year to adventurers around the world!

It is due in no small part to your dedication and valor that the citizens of the war-torn three nations of Vana'diel can continue to live in safety and peace. Why, even the moogles' latest enterprise, the Buffalo Bonanza Ranch, is off to a rip-roaring success of a start! Or is it? For all the details on the 2009 New Year's event, ! The New Year's event is scheduled to run from Wednesday, December 31st at 7:00 am (PST) until midnight (24:00) on Monday, January 12th.

Today's report will outline our actions over the past year in dealing with players violating the user agreement, as well as the Special Task Force's plans for the future. Click here for a report on the Special Task Force's overall activities.

Around 13,290 accounts in violation of the FINAL FANTASY XI user agreement were suspended or banned today. Click here for details.

As previously reported in this space, the new and vastly improved Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign begins today!By taking advantage of this special offer, almost any of your beloved characters can be restored to their former glory, allowing you to resume your epic adventures in Vana'diel as if you had never left!

Improvements made to the campaign this time around will allow for nearly all previous characters—with only rare exceptions—to be available for restoration.

There's never been a better time to come back home, so why not dust off your armor, sharpen that sword, and see what new adventures await you in Vana'diel?

To apply or read further details, click here!

After many late nights, the Fan Festival 2008 wrap-up report is now available for everyone to read! We compiled all the latest information from the special presentation and popular development team panel, as well as behind the scenes photos! Information straight from the show floor, as well as reports on the exciting events that attendees took part in are all available for your perusal. We hope that just by reading it, you'll get the feeling of being right there along with everyone else.

Read all the juicy details in the Fan Festival wrap-up report!

'' Adventurers throughout Vana'diel, this is the day you've been waiting for—the Moblin Maze Mongers are finally open for business! Be the first to design a custom dungeon to explore with your friends, and reap the many rewards that await you.

For all the exciting details, just read on!

'' Husbands and aspiring bridegrooms of Vana'diel, your long wait is now over! Commencing from today, men's wedding formalwear will be made available, in the form of a dashing tuxedo.

Proceed here to learn how to smarten up and sweep your bride off her feet!

'' Hello there, adventurer. Can I interest you in a prrretty little story? It'll only take a moment of your time. It's something about the Starlight Celebration I picked up during my rrrecent trip to Bastok—a story of this handbell, here...''

Read on for aspiring journalist Payuh Milmorah's tale of the magical handbell of legend.

Back by popular demand, we're proud to announce that the Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign is now better than ever before! In this latest version of the campaign, the types of characters that can be restored have been vastly expanded! Also, these characters will be able to enjoy the benefits of the previous campaign by receiving the ever-popular Anniversary Ring.

There's never been a better time to dust off your armor, sharpen that sword, collect a free Anniversary Ring, and get back in the chocosaddle again! Don't miss out!

The Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign is scheduled to begin on Thursday, December 18th, 2008.

Click here for more details.

Fan Festival 2008 came to a close Saturday night to the sound of roaring applause and the sight of bright, excited faces, eager to get their hands on the thrilling new content they had just witnessed. We thoroughly enjoyed this year's Fan Festival and hope all of our attendees had a great time as well. For those who were unable to go, we're preparing a full report on all the events and attractions this year, so stay tuned! In the meantime, we'd like to express our heartfelt thanks to all those who attended, and thanks of course to all the players around the world who continue to enjoy FINAL FANTASY XI.

The December version update, with more new content and adjustments than you can wave a stick at, is now ready for download! The following and much, much more awaits you! - New missions for the Wings of the Goddess expansion. - The new in-game system, "Fields of Valor." -The addition of the Group 2 merit point category for dancers and scholars. - More rewarding adventuring with Treasure Caskets. - Additions and adjustments to Campaign. - Further tweaks to the Level Sync system.

The juicy details are available for your perusal here.

The upcoming version update will have dancers and scholars across Vana'diel rejoicing in the streets, as it promises long-awaited features that will make these jobs more effective and rewarding to play than ever before!

Read on for the details!

It's a feeling every adventurer knows and loves—the heart-racing excitement of discovering a chest stocked full of untold riches. With the forthcoming version update, players can look forward to experiencing this thrill anew with the introduction of the "Treasure Casket," a new type of treasure chest that will hold wonders for those fortunate enough to chance upon one!

Read on for the valuable details!

The much-awaited December version update will see the introduction of "Fields of Valor," a brand new in-game system that will allow players to engage in light-hearted yet rewarding adventuring, regardless of whether they are bereft of company or part of a hulking party.

Click here to find out more.

The free-spirited Troupe Mayakov dancer, Lilisette. Her sudden arrival in the past has set in motion a series of events that may forever alter the face of world. Will the future that the denizens of Vana'diel glimpse through her eyes of azure be one of hope and triumph? Or will it be that of fire and ash?

Light will finally be shed upon the heretofore unrevealed diabolical plots that imperiled the children of Altana from within the dark recesses of the Crystal War...

Read on to find out more.

We wanted to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the talented participants of this year's Fan Festival Art Contest! We received a hefty number of entries and are eagerly looking forward to debuting them in their own special art showcase during the event. Fan Festival attendees will definitely want to stop by the third floor and vote for their favorite masterpieces!

Click here to learn more about Fan Festival.

Vana'diel Festival 2008 was held today in Tokyo, with a multitude of spirited fans bringing the JCB Hall venue to life. None of those in attendance were able to hide their surprise and delight as the announcement was made for the confirmed development of three new expansion scenarios. In addition to this delicious piece of news, fans were treated to an appetite-whetting preview of the upcoming December version update, and much, much more. We have taken the liberty of preparing a detailed summary of all the exciting events that took place at this year's festival for the benefit of those who were unable to attend.

Click here for much more information!

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