We received a press release this morning announcing three upcoming expansion mission sets for Final Fantasy XI, which will only be available for purchase and download, via the company's PlayOnline service. The first in the set of three mission packs will become available in the spring of 2009, with more to follow thereafter.
You can find out specific details on the expansion scenario page, though it's a bit barrent at the moment with only a brief synopsis for each of the three packs. We've included the press release below which goes into a bit more detail about each.
Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, today announced the development of three
upcoming downloadable scenario expansions for
their marquee MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game, FINAL FANTASY® XI. The
creation of these three expansions is led by Masato Kato, who created the stories
and scenarios for FINAL FANTASY XI and its first expansion pack, Rise of the
Zilart®.
Available exclusively for online purchase through the
PlayOnline® Viewer, these expansions will be made available simultaneously for
all FINAL FANTASY XI platforms worldwide. The first expansion, entitled “A
Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing™”, is slated for
release in spring of 2009, with the remaining two stories, “A Moogle Kupo
d’Etat – Evil in Small Doses™” and “A Shantotto
Ascension – The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born™”, to follow in
the months thereafter.
STORY
A
Crystalline Prophecy – Ode of Life Bestowing
One
day, a giant crystal appeared in the skies above Jeuno, triggering a series of
unexplained happenings across the land. Now, adventurers will set forth to
unravel the mysteries of this primordial crystal that holds the secret of
Vana’diel’s past.
A
Moogle Kupo d’Etat – Evil in Small Doses
It
all started with an innocent drop of rainwater and a rickety, ramshackle Mog
House desperately in need of repairs. Little did anyone suspect that this was
only the beginning of a harrowing nightmare unheard of in the annals of
moogle-kind.
A Shantotto Ascension – The Legend Torn, Her
Empire Born
The
eccentric Professor Shantotto returned to Windurst one day after a mysterious,
unexplained absence, shocking her colleagues with behavior so outrageous it put
her old self to shame! When she goes so far as to proclaim herself ruler of her
own empire, adventurers set out to discover the truth behind her alarming shift
in personality.
Accommodating players in North America, Europe and Japan,
FINAL FANTASY XI is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game
capable of simultaneous multiplayer cooperation across three different
platforms. Now in its sixth year of service, FINAL FANTASY XI has a robust
community of 500,000 subscribers and more than 1.7 million player characters
from around the world. The series continues to evolve and expand, offering
newcomers and fans alike an immersive, engrossing and engaging universe to
traverse, defend and explore.
For more information about FINAL FANTASY XI, please visit
the official website: http://www.finalfantasyxi.com.
Profile of Masato Kato
Served as director and scenario writer on titles
including Chrono Trigger®, Radical Dreamers, Xenogears® and Chrono Cross® for
Square Co., Ltd. (now Square Enix). Oversaw the initial plot conception and
event direction for the original FINAL FANTASY XI and the Rise of the Zilart
expansion. Since leaving Square in 2002, Mr. Kato has worked on a number of
titles and continues to pursue his unique design vision.
About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix
Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes
and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment
software and publications in Asia, North America, and Europe. Square Enix
brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises — FINAL FANTASY, which has
sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON
QUEST®, which has sold over 46 million units
worldwide — under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential
providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push
the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
Square Enix,
Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with
offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization,
marketing, and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix
can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.
