If you're going to play Final Fantasy simply because you love the series you should check out this article. Final Fantasy I'm sure will bring many of it's hard core fans on board but many of them may leave when the realize that this is just another MMORPG.

I don't mean to knock the game by saying "just another" (I myself have been feining for the game for about a month now), I just want to stress to all those out there who have never played an MMORPG before that this will be a very different experience. My only advice would be that if the game seems like it's starting to suck or if you feel discouraged, don't give up. Find online help, get your friends to play, etc. There's a ton of things you can do. I used to play EQ (I canceled my account 3 weeks ago to prepare for FFXI) and when I first played it I hated it. It was the most god aweful thing I had ever given perfectly good cash up for. But through the persistant harrasing by my friends I stuck with it and wound up with a 65 cleric 10 months later. So yeah, persistance, that's what it's all about.

As for FF competing with EQ2, all of my friends who play EQ claim that they will avoid EQ2 like the plague. The thought of giving up their hard earned characters just to start again in the sequal is less than appealing. Given that, those who do leave may be just as inclined to try something new (like FF) as to join EQ2. Factor in EQ's virtual absence of any sort of plot line (not sure if they play to do something about that in EQ2) and Square's overzealous commitment to it, I think that EQ player will find the world to be just complex and dynamic as EQ but also coupled with a stellar plot line lends itself in-game.

I'm not biased really, I just love Final Fantasy.

Leighton