[TheGrandMom]

Announcement at the beginning was about what systems the game would be on.

FFXIV will be coming to the PS3 & PC. They are currently considering other hardware (including Microsoft hardware!)



Q: What are the ties to Final Fantasy XI, if any?

A: While you may have noticed that some of the same type of races appeared in the trailer, the world of FFXIV is different from FFXI. The reason that we made the races similar to the FFXI races is so FFXI players could choose a similar type of race in the new game. For example, in movies, you might have an actor that plays many different roles. Please, think of it that way.



Q: What happens to Final Fantasy XI now that we're moving to FFXIV? Are you going to phase it out or continue to publish new content for XI? How will the development team be split?

A: The development for FFXIV started 4 or 5 years ago with primary ideas. Development started a few years ago, while FFXI was still being supported. FFXI will continue to be supported. There is another year of content planned. There are no plans for the near future to stop development on FFXI.



Q: What influence have games like World of WarCraft have on the development of FFXIV?

A:As with WoW, we want to aim a bit for the casual user. However, we don't want to make a copy of WoW. We believe we will have things that are unique and will stand out from that game.



Q: Will combat be more action oriented or turn-based?

A: We cannot talk about the battle system at this time.



Q: FFXI has evolved a lot over the years, especially in the areas of player accessibility and the ability to solo. Will you carry over features like level sync and other features to FFXIV?

A: Yes. All of the knowledge and experience we gained from FFXI will be used in the development of FFXIV. At the launch, we intend to have content for solo players as well as large-scale battles. We want a wide-variety from the start.



Q: Are you planning a simultaneous worldwide release or will it be released in Japan first?

A: Yes. At the launch, this will be a worldwide simultaneous launch on PS3 and Windows PC. English, Japanese, German, and French versions released at launch.



Q: Will all servers be worldwide or split by territory?

A: The current plans are to have worldwide servers that are cross-platform and cross-region. We will do a beta test and look at the balance and player experience. We want to look for a good balance between region and cross-region play.



Q: Will you be taking feedback from your FFXI users?

A: Yes, we still get a lot of feedback from our FFXI players and will continue to take feedback as we move into beta. The game will change as it goes.



Q: Will you try to move players from XI to XIV or will they be separate communities?

A: It's up to the community themselves. We envision users that will hopefully play XI one day and XIV another. They will be independent, but users are free to play both.



Q: Are there plans to localize the game in Spanish?

A: Currently, there is no Spanish version in development. We'll consider it if enough Spanish-speaking users demand it from us. Getting good translators in Japan is hard, but if there's enough demand we will consider it.



Q: How can users transmit this demand?

A: We will conduct marketing research.




Q: Is there any special element in the MMO genre that you will improve with this game?

A: Our plan from the beginning was to make the best Final Fantasy game available. That is our vision for XIV. Then we thought, how can we make the best FF game and we came to the conclusion that it would be an MMORPG. It was decided to make the best FF first, then led to the decision to make it an MMORG and use that genre.

A: However, we are trying to implement a lot of new systems that other MMO's haven't used in the past



Q: I've been seeing information that the title is free to play, is this true?

A: No pricing has been decided at this time. It is still TBD.


Q: Why did you decide to make a new game rather than continue to evolve FFXI?

A: It all comes down to, originally, FFXI was designed for the PS2. It then moved to PC and Xbox 360. A lot of people have asked for a port to the PS3. With an MMORPG of this size, you have to develop new content. Porting to a new technology would take a lot of effort. Instead, we decided to use that time to make something new.



Q: Yesterday's trailer that was shown, was that running of a console or was it pre-rendered?

A: There were parts that were pre-rendered and parts that were running on the in-game engine.



Q: Is that the quality you're aiming for? The scene with the Galka fighting, is that what you're aiming for?

A: Yes, that is the part that was running in-engine.



Q: In that scene, we saw many parties and many enemies. Is this the new focus: many parties fighting many enemies?

A: I cannot say too much, but we hope to have battles that are many vs. many and many vs. one.



Q: What would you like to emphasize with this game? What is different from FFXI?

A: For FFXIV, the keyword that we've been using is "The Growth and Development of the Character." We will have the same type of storytelling and high-quality graphics. We also want to expand and create new in-game systems. The player can grow & develop in a more natural way without putting too much weight on the player. We will expand the job system to make it fairly different from the one in FFXI.

A: Another very important concept that takes a different direction from FFXI, for FFXIV we want to make it so the player can choose to play solo, in a party, 40 minutes, all-day... there will be content for ALL of those play styles and systems for all of those play styles.



Q: On the beta process, will current XI players get in?

A: As with the actual release date of the game, we don't have a concrete beta schedule yet. We will have a beta and look forward to more information about then shortly.



Q: Will FFXI characters be portable to XIV in any way?

A: The game is completely different. There will not be any XI character transfers to XIV. However, the character design is familiar and XI players will be able to create a similar character.

A: We will NOT be using PlayOnline, but friend lists will transfer over.



Q: If I'm new to the MMO genre, why would I choose FFXIV over other games?

A: We believe that players will fall in love with the world & story that we have created.


Q: I've been seeing information that the title is free to play, is this true?

A: No pricing has been decided at this time. It is still TBD.

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by thegrandmom

a: While you may have noticed that some of the same type of races appeared in the trailer, the world of ffxiv is different from ffxi. The reason that we made the races similar to the ffxi races is so ffxi players could choose a similar type of race in the new game. For example, in movies, you might have an actor that plays many different roles. Please, think of it that way.

totally fucking called it ^^


EDIT:

Originally Posted by TheGrandMom

A: We will NOT be using PlayOnline, but friend lists will transfer over.

WTF?

[Vioris]

This is by far one of the worst questions I have ever seen from the press... =| We pretty much knew majority of the Answers? At least now I'm curious how it's gonna work without PlayOnline, Billing, Etc.

[Xyphere]

Originally Posted by Vioris

This is by far one of the worst questions I have ever seen from the press... =| We pretty much knew majority of the Answers? At least now I'm curious how it's gonna work without PlayOnline, Billing, Etc.

I agree completely. I want to know about the game's PVP elements... if there are any.

[Grizzlebeard]

Originally Posted by Vioris

This is by far one of the worst questions I have ever seen from the press... =| We pretty much knew majority of the Answers? At least now I'm curious how it's gonna work without PlayOnline, Billing, Etc.

While long-playing FFXI players may assume they know all the information they need to, the Q&A will also be read by many prospective new and returning players of the FF line. As such, some of those answers may contribute to people at least being curious enough to try out the game.

[Durahansolo]

Originally Posted by Malacite

OMGWTFHAXX!

FTFY

[Murphie]

Personally, I'm glad they're dropping POL. It's awful.

[Ziero]

Originally Posted by Malacite

WTF?

Have you already forgotten about the new web based SE Account system the majority of the player base has signed up for? Losing PoL is NOT a surprise to anyone with half a brain seeing as they outright stated that all future games will be handled through the SE Account system.

Originally Posted by Vioris

Re: E3 Square Enix Press Conference about FFXIV
This is by far one of the worst questions I have ever seen from the press... =| We pretty much knew majority of the Answers? At least now I'm curious how it's gonna work without PlayOnline, Billing, Etc.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought these questions were lackluster. Over at BG they were creaming their pants over every one (except the spanish one). Will all that Q&A we still know squat about the actual game.

Originally Posted by Grizzlebeard

While long-playing FFXI players may assume they know all the information they need to, the Q&A will also be read by many prospective new and returning players of the FF line. As such, some of those answers may contribute to people at least being curious enough to try out the game.

From my understanding, the questions came directly from FFXI players. Except the last one about the monthly fee, that came from the douche blogger reporting on the Q&A.

But even to prospective buyers, this Q&A revealed nothing new or useful.

[Caspian]

Some of the questions weren't that great, but there were several that even though "everyone knew what the answers would be" they still made definitive statements about stuff people had been questioning. We had plenty of people on this forum believing they might allow character transfers, or that this was only a graphical update of FFXI and was gonna be the same game.

[Aksannyi]

Originally Posted by Murphie

Personally, I'm glad they're dropping POL. It's awful.

This a million times over. It makes me confirm every action a dozen and a half times, it's the most user-unfriendly piece of shit I've ever dealt with, and it's a good thing FFXI is such a great game or I would have quit a dozen times just from dealing with POL.

[Pai Pai Master]

Where: Electronics Entertainment Expo, Los Angeles, California
When: June 2nd, 2009
What: FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE ANNOUNCED!

The biggest news out of this year's E3 (for me, at least) is the official announcement of Square Enix's PROJECT RAPTURE, which has been revealed to be FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, the MMORPG followup to the 7-years-and-running FINAL FANTASY XI Online originally released for the PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System in 2002.

So let's get down to business on what we know so far:

Who's Involved?

The game is being developed by the FINAL FANTASY XI Online Team.

Producer: Hiromichi Tanaka
FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY III, FINAL FANTASY XI Online, SECRET OF MANA, XENOGEARS

Director: Nobuaki Komoto
FINAL FANTASY IX, FINAL FANTASY XI

Lead Artist: Akihiko Yoshida
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, FINAL FANTASY XII, VAGRANT STORY, OGRE BATTLE

Composer: Nobuo Uematsu (of SMILE PLEASE Co., ltd)
FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY X, CHRONO TRIGGER, LOST ODYSSEY


What are the release details?

Platforms:
PLAYSTATION 3 Computer Entertainment System
Microsoft Windows (Specific OS and System Requirements TBA)
Other platforms TBD (Microsoft hardware is in consideration. No word on MAC/Linux)

Launch:
Worldwide Beta TBA
Worldwide Simultaneous Release 2010
Japanese, English, French, German Language Support
Other Languages TBD
Unit Price TBD
Subscription Price TBD

What Do We Know So Far About FINAL FANTASY XIV Online?

-The game takes place on a planet called Hadeln, on a continent called Eorzea.
-It is not related to Vana'diel. However, the five original Vana'dielian races will be present in the game, along with the possiblity of new Hadelnian races.
-There will be more science fiction elements in Hadeln, similar to that seen in FINAL FANTASY X and XIII.
-Square-Enix Account System will replace PlayOnline.
-No official RMT is planned.
-The Job System will return but it will be made different from FFXI.
-The devteam has said that character growth is not based on experience. They've hinted that the basis for character development can be seen in the logo. (It's weapons)
-As an example, choosing one weapon one day and another the next could have a lot to do with your character's growth.
-The emphasis on party play has been lightened somewhat. The team plans to launch the game with a variety of solo and party content. "One vs. Many" and "Many vs. Many" battles are the focus. There will be a more expansive Fields of Valor system at launch.
-Monsters will be fighting players in parties as well as solo.
-There is no PvP planned at this time.
-In addition to the day/night cycle the world will have four seasons.
-Chocobos are back but will be used in an entirely different manner than means of transportation.
-The team is working towards full voice acting for the game, but not promising anything.
-Server population will be maxed out at 5000-6000 players.
-PC Requirements will be "quite high."
-FFXIV Benchmark will be made available.
-The Beta Test Phase will be longer than FFXI (3 months) but shorter than WoW (9 months)
-All music is being composed by Nobuo Uematsu, 5.1ch quality.

Press and Media

Press Release:

Square Enix Unveils Newest Addition to the FINAL FANTASY series, FINAL FANTASY XIV!

MMORPG Scheduled for Simultaneous Global Release on the PlayStation3 and Windows

LOS ANGELES, California (2nd June 2009)– Today, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), announced that FINAL FANTASY XIV, an all new massively-multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG), is planned for a simultaneous global release with language support in Japanese, English, French and German.
Adventure begins anew in the vast realm of Eorzea!
More information on FINAL FANTASY XIV can be found at http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com.


Product Information
Title: FINAL FANTASY XIV
Platforms: PLAYSTATION 3&Windows
*Details on required PC specifications to be announced at a later date
Languages: Japanese, English, German, French (simultaneous release)
Genre: MMORPG
Release 2010
MSRP: TBD (Software&Subscription)
Rating: Pending (ESRB/PEGI/CERO)
Copyright Information:© SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
Official Site: http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com


Development Staff
Producer: Hiromichi Tanaka (FINAL FANTASY I, II, III, XI)
Director: Nobuaki Komoto (FINAL FANTASY IX, XI)
Art Director: Akihiko Yoshida (Vagrant Story®, FINAL FANTASY XII)
Music: Nobuo Uematsu of SMILE PLEASE (FINAL FANTASY series)


About Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises– FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 47 million units worldwide– under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.


About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in London, Square Enix Ltd. handles operations in Europe and other PAL territories including sales, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com


DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in United Kingdom and/or other countries. EORZEA is a registered trademark of Square Enix Co., Ltd. in the United Kingdom and/or other countries. Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies and is used under license from the owner.“PlayStation” and PS3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Square Enix Limited is a company registered in England&Wales under the number 3679704 whose registered office is Castle House, 37-45 Paul Street, London EC2A 4LS.

Logo by Yoshitaka Amano:


Artwork by Kazuya Takahashi:


Screenshots:


Trailers:
E3 2009 Debut Trailer

When and Where Will We Learn More?

Upcoming Square Enix Events:
Unannounced Summer Press Event
Tokyo Games Show 2009

Official Website:
FINAL FANTASY XIV
Register for the Official FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Mailing List


Events, Updates and News

June 3rd, 2009 - E3 2009 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Q&A Session

More to come...

[Vyuru]

Some of the questions weren't that great, but there were several that even though "everyone knew what the answers would be" they still made definitive statements about stuff people had been questioning.

Quite true.

Any question is a good one for a new game coming out.

[Ockman]

I can't wait to see more of this game. It's the best E3 announcement in years for me. Next gen tarutarus and mithras!

[Tickmeoff]

A: We will NOT be using PlayOnline, but friend lists will transfer over.

Amazing.

A: The current plans are to have worldwide servers that are cross-platform and cross-region.

Boo.

Q: Are there plans to localize the game in Spanish?

BR? gief monie pls.

[tazirai]

It's been a long time since i've been here. But This news. makes me giddy with excitement. I can't wait to learn more about the Future of this game. I still play and love FFXI. So I'm excited to say the least.

---------- Post added at 06:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:24 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Aksannyi

This a million times over. It makes me confirm every action a dozen and a half times, it's the most user-unfriendly piece of shit I've ever dealt with, and it's a good thing FFXI is such a great game or I would have quit a dozen times just from dealing with POL.

Can I qoute you on that? Wait. I just did. POL completely sucks. If you have a Japanese account and need to access your account to pay, if you missed a payment. POL will NOT let you. I know many people who cant, who i've had to help get their accounts back. cuz of stupid POl.

Meh. It will NOT be missed.