FFXI update and expansion dated

By Oli Welsh Published 29 September, 2009

Third mini-expansion and more soon.

Square Enix has put rough release dates on the next version update for its long-running MMO, Final Fantasy XI, and the third in the series of downloadable mini-expansions for the game.

The expansion - titled A Shantotto Ascension - is due in October, according to a new trailer, while the official FFXI site indicates that the next free version update is "currently on track for an early November release".

The version update will add new Wings of the Goddess nation quests, new features for the Moblin Maze Mongers dungeon-crawling system, a mysterious "extensive and all-new system involving items" and adjustments to jobs.

A Shantotto Ascension is the final of a trilogy of story-led pieces created by Chrono Trigger writer Masato Kato, and deals with a mad professor who declares herself ruler of her own empire.

Could this be a last hurrah for FFXI ahead of the release of Final Fantasy XIV Online next year? Or will the seven-year-old game sit alongside its successor, and join the likes of EverQuest and Ultima Online in lasting longer than a decade?

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (8) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #1 2 years ago

    I knew you were going to do that.

  • actionfitz #2 2 years ago

    bugger me! people still play this?
    - fair play to you if its your cup of tea...
    but it has one of the most awkward control systems ive ever tried to use.

  • Kafeen #3 2 years ago

    The control system is fine if you use a pad. Just don't try to use the mouse or the keyboard for anything apart from typing.

  • rodpad #4 2 years ago

    I'd sign up and play if Playonline wasn't utterly confusing and didn't take 10 days to patch up the out of date trials and pressed discs.

  • Kami #5 2 years ago

    I think FFXI won't survive too far beond FFXIV. The problem is FFXIV needs to show that Square-Enix have learned from the catalogue of mistakes they made - the awful rares system and auction system that actually made it easy for the RMT to completely dominate every single server, the VISA only attitude, the PlayOnline confusing mess.

    FFXIV does need to be so completely seperated from it that there's a good bit of distance. My main hesitation of FFXIV is simply because I have BEEN there in FFXI and I got burned, now I'm playing cautious.

    I'm sure FFXI is still fun for those left there. But to people like me, FFXIV has to show signs of progress... and the proof of that isn't in the teasers. It comes from SE telling us how it works, how we pay for it and showing us gameplay footage.

  • Slipstream #6 2 years ago

    Great game hampered by many unnessasry barriers.

  • Futaba #7 2 years ago

    I cancelled my account last week after notching up a playtime of 180+ full days :(

  • Segaia #8 2 years ago

    Still playing it after 200 days of playtime and i still enjoy it. When you have so much to do and such a great community... no reason to leave rly. But it is true: most people are waiting for FFXIV and so do i. The new expansion item hopefully gives us a customizeable weapon with choosable unique stats again. *looks forward to see shantotto going crazy*


    PS.: to the control systems... if you use your brain you can just do it with WASD like in WoW. in the main menu there is a little hint. It is called "config" XD