FFXI 360 date, new PC expansion

By Tom Bramwell Published 26 January, 2006

The latter included in 360 version.

Square Enix is planning to bring Treasures of Aht Urhgan, the third expansion pack for PC MMO Final Fantasy XI and bane of spellcheckers everywhere, to Europe and other PAL places on April 20th, just two days after its American release. And yes, that is a Thursday and not a Friday. What's more, Final Fantasy XI for Xbox 360 will launch on the same day, April 20th, in both Europe and Japan.

FFXI's already had two expansions (Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia), and this third one deals with the legendary "Aht Urhgan Empire", introduces new jobs (including Blue Mage and Corsair) and adds some new areas and monsters (including the Mamool Ja tribe of beastmen).

It's also worth noting that the Xbox 360 version isn't just FFXI but FFXI including all three expansion packs - even this Aht Urhgan spelling catastrophe - and requires the hard disk drive to play. We'll bring you our thoughts on the 360 port as soon as poss.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • The12thMonkey #1 6 years ago

    It was the excellent Eurogamer preview of the US release that got me to get this; I had always told myself I wouldn't bother with online RPGs as well...

    88 days of playtime later, I'm glad I broke that promise.
    Edited by The12thMonkey at 26/01/06 @ 15:39

  • myiagros #2 6 years ago

    does anyone know whether this will still be through square-enix's own playOnline rather than xboxLive, as with the japanese beta?

  • The12thMonkey #3 6 years ago

    It'll ignore XBL and use PlayOnline

  • groovychainsaw #4 6 years ago

    Meh. Played the 360 beta - looks ok, but its clearly a three year old game. It seems too slow to attract a console crowd, and warcraft has surpassed it in nearly every way. FFXI is so hard to get into!
    Oh, and it does use playonline, not xbox live, which just means it takes about 5 mins of button clicking to get into the game... /sigh
    Edited by groovychainsaw at 26/01/06 @ 15:44

  • Kami #5 6 years ago

    Played FFXI for a year. Quiti in August. Don't miss it one little bit.

    Once the novelty of the name wore of, it's really wasn't hard to see the flaws...

  • rinoaMW #6 6 years ago

    "Played FFXI for a year. Quiti in August. Don't miss it one little bit. "

    Ok Kami - we get that you played it, ok?.. your time in Vana'diel wasn't in vein! ^^

  • Frogger #7 6 years ago

    That's the second X360 game today which requires the hard-disk drive...

    I thought that all 360 games would be designed to run on a hard-disk-less 360. Wrong

  • Skullfire #8 6 years ago

    First game, AFAIK. And it has always been stated by MS that MMORPG's were excluded from the 'must work withouth HD', rule for obvious reasons!

  • Frogger #9 6 years ago

    Football Manager 2006 also requires a hard-disk :

    http://minilien.com/?iCRRnZAWxz

    (in french)

  • Kami #10 6 years ago

    Lol Rinoa.

    What I don't get is if Microsoft are so serious about this train of gaming, why the heck did they pick FFXI? Aside the visuals update, I just don't understand why. There are lots of fresh faces out there more deserving of such a position, lots of up-and-coming teams who can usher in a new generation of ideas and move the genre forward.

    The only plausible logic in FFXI on the XB360 comes down to the "Final Fantasy" brandname. That might sound sensible on the surface... but after several years, can it really attract a new console userbase?

    That's the bit that raises doubt... as I recall, it didn't do too well on the PS2, so I'm wondering what will have changed since then to make it more appealing...

    Quote by groovychainsaw:
    Oh, and it does use playonline, not xbox live, which just means it takes about 5 mins of button clicking to get into the game... /sigh

    By the sounds of this, very little... ^^

  • Sorb #11 6 years ago

    So in April weŽll get FFXI, Elder Scrolls 4 and Dragon Quest - OMG! I donŽt even know which one to start with.

  • OnlyMe #12 6 years ago

    I'll start with Elder Scrolls, as I already have and have played the two others ;)

    But when will Shadow of the Colossus be out again?

  • Sorb #13 6 years ago

    February 17!

  • Xypher #14 6 years ago

    I'm still hoping for a TFLO ressurection.... ho hum

  • morriss #15 6 years ago

    Let me guess...4/10

  • Yazoo #16 6 years ago

    If you allow yourself in to the FFXI world, it really can be the only game you'll play for a long time. Which is one of the reasons why I cant consider an objectional review of an MMORPG at the release of the game as valid. If the idea of a huge, story led, Final Fantasy game appeals to you and you can allow yourself to explore the world, I dare say you will love it as hundreds of thousands have. If you dont, then you wont get in to it, or you'll see the bits you wont want to like.

    The expansion itself should add a wealth of new content, I would be interested to see news of the graphical update the PC version is expected to have upon release of the 360 version.

  • Dizzy #17 6 years ago

    Final Fantasy XI would have been good in the 1990s.

    In MMORPG land it is a total waste of time and money... but the FF fanboys like it so I guess some people will enjoy it quite a bit. If the 360 version would use Live and speech it might have been worth it... stupid Square Enix.

  • Yazoo #18 6 years ago

    LeDilletante; once you get to your 2-3 mission things really kick off (level 25), your first boss and introduction to the storyline proper. Before then things can be a little slow, especially when you are low-levelling before the Dunes.

    Dizzy; With POL so well established, SE would have to have reverse engineered and made drastic changes to other versions of their service to use Live, it's just unfeasible. POL itself is just a click-through to the main game usually, although it does offer news and a messaging facility. Also, speech support in a moderated, massively multiplayer game? At the current time this is pretty unfeasible too - unless there was some kind of predictive speech so that bad language could be bleeped, and all speech streams could be stored on some kind of central server incase a player was being investigated to bad conduct. And of course "FF fanboys like it" - just as Warcraft fanboys like WoW. A considerable amount of players I talk to, however, haven't played other FF games and yet love FFXI, in the same way WoW also attracts a new audience. And how exactly, can playing a game that many consider very enjoyable and playable, be considered a waste of time and money?
    Edited by Yazoo at 27/01/06 @ 14:34

  • Dizzy #19 6 years ago

    "And how exactly, can playing a game that many consider very enjoyable and playable, be considered a waste of time and money?"

    Ok.. I understand what you are saying. Maybe my words were a bit too harsh... I was just pointing at the "fact" that there are better IMHO MMORPGs out there. Also speech shouldnt be a problem.... almost everybody does it now in WoW (or other games) using Skype or Teamspeak. Rude language? Dude.. all Live games have rude language ;) You can report them if you think this is a problem.
    I just think FF is a mediocre MMORPG with "ok" graphics and a bit outdated gameplay. The ability to talk to party members would have made the game a bit more interesting. A missed chance for SE IMHO.
    Edited by Dizzy at 28/01/06 @ 19:19

  • reality_cheque #20 6 years ago

    @Yazoo: So it all kicks off at lvl 25? Then I'm not going to bother paying for it, as I've been playing for bloody days and I'm only lvl 5 because there are so many players and not enough monsters. My g/f has been playing it pretty much solid when I'm not home as she's still only lvl 11.

    The idea of a game that requires you to get EIGHTY ONE FUCKING THOUSAND XP (yes, I just worked it out) before it starts when the average monster gives about 20-100xp is an idea that should have been stabbed in the head and left in a ditch somewhere. That's 800-2000 monsters BEFORE THE GAME TAKES OFF. Lvl 15 I might just have been able to cope with. Lvl FIVE would have been more sensible.

    If I see another wild bloody rabbit I'll... well I won't do anything, will I? Because some fucker just claimed it.

  • Kafeen #21 6 years ago

    "he idea of a game that requires you to get EIGHTY ONE FUCKING THOUSAND XP (yes, I just worked it out) before it starts when the average monster gives about 20-100xp is an idea that should have been stabbed in the head and left in a ditch somewhere."

    You can get much more than that. In a party post level 10 you should be looking to get 150-200 exp per kill, more if you chain them (kill the next mob within a time limit). Also you can spend your conquest points on a chariot or empress ring at the gate guards which when used will give you an extra 50 / 75% exp respectivly up to 1000 / 500 exp total.

    There's plenty to do before then anyway. The mission ups to 2-3, quests from NPCs in your main city or others when you get to them.

    You're new to the game, thinks do take a while with your first job as your still learning how the game work. Future jobs can be done quicker, not only will you be able to afford better equipment or food but you'll know how the game works more. Level 5 I could get in a couple of hours, level 10 is doable in a single day. Since the 360 servers have just opened its expected that the starting area will be crowded, try a different area. Around Windurst there's Giddius or to Horu towers. Around San d'Oria there's Ghelsba or King Ranpaires tomb, Around Bastok there's Zeruhm mines, Palbourgh mines or Dangruf Wadi, they'll all less likely to be crowded. One of the easiest ways through the starting levels is to find a secluded spot where you have things to yourself.

  • reality_cheque #22 6 years ago

    I'm gonna play it, it just seem a bit of a shame that I have to race every other person with an X360 or who recently started the game just for the 100xp I get for fighting a goblin thug. I get my ass kicked if I leave the immediate area, so I guess I'll have to team up with someone a bit early.

    I can see why Guild Wars gives players their own sessions.