Everyone's favorite gaming company has announced the imminent release of a new album that will feature vocals for songs in every Final Fantasy, from the first in the series to the most recent eleventh title. The majority of the tracks will have brand new vocals, while others will simply be rearranged, and all will be worked upon by Nobuo Uematsu.

Of particular note, it has been confirmed that Final Fantasy VIII's famed track "Eyes on Me", which was sung by Faye Wong for that game, will also be included in this song book. It will be produced by HMV (there is still no official word on the permanent replacement for bankrupt DigiCube) and will be released in Japan on March 10, 2004.

[Sources - Square Insider] ...

The current issue of Famitsu Magazine a handful of intriguing screenshots from the movie sequel to Final Fantasy VII, which can be seen here. Included among that group of images are pictures of Barret, the possible remains of Midgar and a mysterious character engaged in battle with Cloud Strife.

[Sources - SquareNews] ...

Square-Enix announced a new update for the popular MMORPG today. The new wrinkles included in the PlayOnline system are:

- The job level cap has been increased to 75
- New magic spells have been added, along with a new quest to earn new weapon skills
- The cabinet function at the Moogle House has been expanded
- The categories at the Auction House have been divided into smaller portions
- Characters can now mount Chocobos at Level 15 in the original three kingdoms
- Christmas trees will be set up in the original three kingdoms and special Christmas items can be obtained from the Moogles
- Fireworks displaying a Goblin Santa Claus can be seen in San D'Oria

These features apply to both the PC and PS2 versions of the game around the world, but players in the United States will still have to wait until after the new year for the PS2 version to arrive on those shores.

[Sources - RPGFan] ...

Square-Enix and one of America's largest wireless networks, Verizon, announced today a joint venture to provide an array of cellular phone games for those members of the latter's Get It Now service.

The first game, Brave Shot, is a full-color and vertically-scrolling shoot-'em-up along the lines of such classics of Gradius or Raiden. The release of Brave Shot also marks a milestone, as Square-Enix has released this software in the United States first, before being made readily available in Japan.

The game can be picked up by Get It Now customers for either $1.99 per month, or a single $4.99 payment for unlimited use. More information on the service can be found here, while more general information on Brave Shot and other Square-Enix mobile gaming content can be found at Square-Enix's official site.

Special thanks to our member eestlinc for the lead.

[Sources - Square-Enix, Verizon Wireless] ...

The world of Final Fantasy XI is immense, so why not show off a certain peaceful spot or two that you like? Playonline has announced its first screenshot contest, themed "My Favorite Place", and the winners will have their top shots displayed on the site and available in greeting cards! The site will accept entries until December 21. More details can be found here.

[Source - Playonline] ...

An all-star cast of talent from Final Fantasy’s past gathered today in Tokyo to promote the imminent release of FFXII. Lots of details concerning the game were revealed by those present, including:

- The World of Ivarice (the same world as Final Fantasy Tactics, but a different time period), dominated by two rival empires: Arcadia and Rosaria. The two sides have been entrenched in a bitter war. A tiny kingdom, Dalmasca, has been caught in the middle of the conflict due to its strategic importance to both sides.
- The lone survivor of the Dalmascan royal family, Princess Ashe, joins a resistance force to free her country from the seemingly invincible Arcadian forces. Despite the will to emancipate her kingdom, the task does prove impossible.
- A young man named Vaan, who has lost his parents in the war, meets Ashe, and their encounter changes the entire world.
- FFXII will contain an equivalent to FFT’s Judges: the Knights of Terror.
- The game will introduce different languages that are spoken by different races, and will also include unique ...