According to IGN, the Japanese website Nikkei Net News has reported that Square Enix is currently developing a successor to its massively multiplayer online RPG Final Fantasy XI.  Though there are virtually no details about the game at this time, Square Enix president Youichi Wada hopes to improve upon the mildly disappointing MMO titles they've created in the past: Front Mission Online, Fantasy Earth: Ring of Dominion, and the Japanese Everquest 2.

The new MMO title is purportedly in development for the Sony Playstation 3, the Microsoft Xbox 360, and Windows Vista.  It is unknown at this time whether or not the online RPG engine Square Enix has shown off in months past will be used by this new title, or if they have another massively multiplayer RPG in development.

[Sources: IGN and RPGFan] ...

Exclusively for Japan, a beautiful limited-edition "Final Fantasy III Crystal Edition" DS Lite is being released alongside the game on August 24th in Japan.  To see an image of the new Final Fantasy-themed DS Lite, click here.

The game and its special DS Lite will be bundled together for 22,780 Yen, or about two hundred dollars in US currency.

The design features four characters from the classic game, created by artist Akihiko Yoshida, and the familiar Final Fantasy logo.  Under the logo is a serial number, and while it is unknown how many of these units will be produced, it likely won't be a large number.  American gamers looking to grab one of these precious units should be quick to import one before it's too late!

[Source: Cubed3] ...

According to Square Enix's site PlayOnline, the gameplay of the unexpectedly popular "Besieged" mode will be significantly altered to create a more strategic gameplay experience.

While it was originally quite simple for a large number of players to band together and win a battle with little effort, new additions to Besieged will change things up a bit.  Square Enix is implementing "Notorious Monsters," more powerful enemies that won't be easily defeated by simply being part of a large force.  Invading the bases of the Beastmen, the creatures that attack the city of Al Zahbi in Besieged, will play a much larger role in the Besieged experience, as the weakening of the Beastmen forces will become a vital part of Al Zahbi's defense.

Square Enix will also continue to update and refine Besieged to provide the best possible experience.  To read the full article, click here.

[Source: PlayOnline] ...

After months and months of anticipation after the Japanese release of Final Fantasy XII, American gamers finally have a final, solid date to look forward to--October 31st, 2006.

In addition to the regular version of the game, Square Enix plans to release a Collector's Edition.  This edition will come with special packaging, interviews with the game's creators, promotional trailers, an art gallery, and a special featurette on the entire Final Fantasy series.  The Collector's Edition will be available exclusively in GameStop and Electronic's Boutique stores.

[Source: IGN] ...

On June 21st, The Voices: Music from Final Fantasy Premium Orchestra Concert DVD will be released in Japan.  This DVD is a recording of the special concert performed in Yokohama on February 18th of this year.

The normal version of this concert DVD will cost 3,800 yen (about $29 USD), while a 2-disc limited edition first print will be available for 4,800 yen (about $34 USD).

[Source: RPGFan] ...

Since its release on DVD, fans of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children have been treated to fast-paced, dazzling, and highly entertaining battle sequences that made it easy to ignore the film's other downfalls.  Just about any fan of Final Fantasy--or even videogames in general--likely envisioned a next-gen title that played just as well as Advent Children looked.

For their part, Square Enix is trying to turn this dream into a reality.  In a recent interview with Dengeki Online, Final Fantasy XIII director Motumo Toriyama revealed that "FFXIII attempts to see how far it's possible to make FFVII Advent Children's battles into a game. FFVII Advent Children is a video production, and it showed us battles that have not been achievable in FF so far. With FFXIII, we're focusing on how far we can realize the video."

Toriyama also stated that his team was working hard on a playable version of FFXIII in time for next year's E3, which means that it's unlikely, though not impossible, that the game won't appear in any form other than videos until that ...

Final Fantasy III, originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (or Famicon in Japan) is the only main entry in the beloved series that has never seen US shores.  Square Enix has ported the title to Nintendo's new DS and given it a 3D facelift, adding in new content in preparation for an impressive re-release of one of the more popular entries in the franchise.

While the game is still not scheduled to reach the United States, American gamers are one step closer to getting their hands on the title--Square Enix announced today that Final Fantasy III DS will be released on August 24th in Japan for a suggested price of 5,980 yen, or about $53 US.

[Source: RPGFan] ...

Square Enix's latest entry into the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Lost Episode Final Fantasy VII, was detailed several weeks ago as a second mobile entry into the series with both single-player and multiplayer functionality.

On June 1st, however, Square Enix announced that Lost Episode will be available exclusively on Amp'd Mobile handsets Summer 2006.  The game will use Amp'd Mobile's network for wireless multiplayer competition, and will be available for download at the Amp'd website.

[Source: Square Enix] ...

Mere weeks after May's E3 Expo, two of the biggest gaming magazines in Japan, Hyper PlayStation and Gaimaga, have published a considerable amount of new information regarding Square Enix's series of Final Fantasy XIII titles.

The director of Final Fantasy XIII, Motomu Toriyama, revealed in an interview with Gaimaga that the scenario work for his project was 80% complete and the visual engine, also nearing completion, was running on real PS3 hardware.  Toriyama stated that "Now is the time for the true start of FFXIII."

While director and character designer Testuya Nomura has had the plot of Final Fantasy Versus XIII developed for some time, real work on the game's scenario has not yet begun in earnest.

The leaders of the Final Fantasy XIII project, which was moved from the Playstation 2 hardware to that of the PS3, are striving to reach a level of visual expression they did not believe was possible with the capacity of one DVD.  The project began 2-3 years ago, but once the team decided to move to the Playstation 3, all their original work was scrapped; in other words, the "White Engine" the new Final Fantasy titles utilize was built completely from scratch.

When asked about the reasoning behind making Versus a part of Fabula Nova Crystallis, Nomura stated that the game would not fit as a normal, standalone member of the series.  Series producer Yoshinori Kitase said that "with Versus, we are trying out a type of adventure that we couldn't do in the numbered series," but assured ...

A Japanese gaming magazine features a host of scans from the newly announced Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, Fabula Nova Crystallis.  The following scans show off different parts of the game, including several shots of the sleek new battle system and other images from a futuristic city.  The first 10 scans are from Final Fantasy XIII itself, but scan 11 features Final Fantasy Agito XIII.

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[Sources: GamersReports] ...

The Compilation of FFVII has just gained another member, as Square Enix announced a new cellphone game entitled Dirge of Cerberus: Lost Episode Final Fantasy VII.

Lost Episode starts off three years after the fall of Meteor at the closing of Final Fantasy VII's original storyline.  Cellphone gamers will, like in Dirge of Cerberus, don the cloak of Vincent Valentine and fight for the world against the Deepground Soldiers.  Lost Episode's Battlefield mode will allow gamers to explore a large world.  The action shooter mode, however, will feature more predictable combat against the Deepground forces.  Popular Final Fantasy VII mainstays like Limit Breaks and Materia will be available to Vincent in his new portable adventure.

The last feature of the game is Deepground Elite Mode, or DGE, which will pit gamers--playing as Deepground soldiers--against one another in fierce battles.

Lost Episode will be available sometime this summer.

[Source: Square Enix] ...

As we've previously reported, Square Enix is hard at work on two new entries into the Crystal Chronicles series, one for the Nintendo DS, and the other for the Nintendo Wii (formerly known as the Revolution).

The Nintendo DS title has now been dubbed Ring of Fate, while the Wii incarnation bares the name Crystal Bearers.  Both games will follow the gameplay style of the original Crystal Chronicles (a mix of action and RPG elements), but take advantage of their respective platforms in unique ways.  The DS title will have Wi-Fi multiplayer, while the Wii version will support Nintendo's revolutionary new controller.

According to Square Enix, "both titles are being developed with a commitment to utilize Wii and Nintendo DS technology to their fullest as part of the next generation's Final Fantasy."

More news from E³ as it breaks--be sure to check back frequently for all the latest exciting information on the next generation of Final Fantasy.

[Source: Square Enix] ...

Though the Electronics Entertainment Expo doesn't officially start until tomorrow, the biggest names in gaming held their annual pre-E³ conferences today.  Among them was, of course, Square Enix.

Square Enix announced months ago that Final Fantasy XIII would be arriving on the Playstation 3, but no more was known about the game--until now.  At their pre-E³ conference, Square Enix revealed a trio of games all bearing the Final Fantasy XIII name: the first, Final Fantasy XIII, is the main entry in the new "series," titled Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII.  The second is Versus Final Fantasy XIII, taking influence for the Latin meaning of versus, "to change direction."  The last of the new bunch is Final Fantasy Agito XIII, a mobile game, which will serve as a prequel to the game proper.

Final Fantasy XIII will be directed by Motomu Toriyama, and is set in a futuristic world that's sure to delight sci-fi fans.  The game was originally being developed for the PS2, but after the team stopped to work on last year's Final Fantasy VII tech demo they moved the title onto the new hardware.  FFXIII is using Square Enix's new "White Engine," designed specifically for their next-gen titles.  The game will purportedly feature the most advanced civilization in a Final Fantasy title to date, and focuses "those who resist the world."  Okay, so it's not all original.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII, directed by Testuya Nomura of Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts fame, looks to take after the latter series, and will feature "extreme action."  Versus will be a direct sequel to FFXIII--sound like Dirge of Cerberus to anyone else?

Here ...

Kingdom Hearts II has broken the one million mark in sales in North America in the past four weeks.  According to Square Enix, that's just one-third the time it took the original game to sell a million, proving that fans countrywide were anxious to get their hands on the title.

So far, the Kingdom Hearts series has sold approximately 8.5 million units.  Those numbers are sure to increase later this month, as Kingdom Hearts II is debuting in Europe on May 25th.

[Source: RPGFan] ...