Traditionally, the game covers for the Final Fantasy games have been different for the European and US versions. However, the games are coming out on the same day, so I wouldn't be too surprised if North America got the same cover. There are other images of the character that I would have used instead, but I really don't look at game covers that often after I open the box. The Japanese box art is just the logo on a white background. But Europe gets Thunder Lightning Thighs.
I haven't seen any official notice that this is the 'final' trailer for FF13's Japan release, but here it is anyway. As trailers go, this is up there with the rest of the exciting ones. The highest quality version is available on the official site (click 'Trailers', it's #4), but you can find them on YouTube already. I might recommend this YouTube video which provides a good-enough translation of the characters' dialogue. Since it's in Japanese.
There's a discussion thread in our forums already, so you can comment on it there.
Source: Official Japanese Site
...That right there is the European and American release date of Final Fantasy 13. Check out the announcement video on the official site.
This is a very fast turnaround for the localization, as this is less than 3 months after the Japanese release. British singer Leona Lewis will be providing the theme song for the game.
Source: Final Fantasy 13 Official Site
...Did you know that Square-Enix has their own, official YouTube channel? It is the Japanese branch of the company, so you can expect all of the featured videos to be in Japanese.
In any case, a few days ago they updated three volumes of "Theatre Bearers", a series of videos focusing on the upcoming Crystal Bearers for the Wii. They are narrated by a cartoony mog and a bomb. As I mentioned earlier, Square-Enix's channel is Japan focused, so these three videos are entirely in Japanese.
Source: Square-Enix YouTube Channel, video #1, #2, #3
...For your viewing pleasure, the Bestiary, Discipline and Lifestyle sections have been added to the official North American site.
Source: Official Site
...According to an ad that is set to run on YouTube in Japan, December 17, 2009 is the date that Final Fantasy 13 is going to be released. Thus officially starts the countdown to an international release.
The Tokyo Game Show is in a few weeks, and even before that Square-Enix is having a special event, so we can expect even more details from that.
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Source: Youtube Ad via NeoGAF.
...Just a day before the proper English release of Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Square-Enix announces DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY UNIVERSAL TUNING. According to Siliconera, this version will include the Arcade Mode that was added for the US version, English voice acting with Japanese subtitles, and over 100 additional character tuning options. Gamesaves from the original Japanese Dissidia will be able to transfer to Universal Tuning, much like the Monster Hunter upgrades on the PSP.
Universal Tuning will be out November 1st in Japan. Don't let that stop you from getting the US version of Dissidia tomorrow, though.
Sources: Official Site, Siliconera
...At the Games Developers Conference in Cologne, Germany, there is a playable Alpha version of Final Fantasy XIV. Gametrailers has some footage of it, while one of the team members at FFXIVCore wrote up his impressions from playing it for 15 mintues. Gametrailers also has a few more videos that may be more interesting from the game developery perspective, which you can also see from the source link below.
Sources: Gametrailers, FFXIVCore
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