Quote:

SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS has posted a "creator's message" on their twitter from Mr. Tanaka, producer of FFXIV. They asked him about the FFXIV beta test.

”Beta tester selection will take place a number of times in short succession. After beta starts, we will be narrowing down the candidates. If you aren't chosen the first time, don't fret! You still have a chance."

The Secret Bonus Stage at VanaFest2010 came and went before we knew it, but it is by far the one part of the show that I am most asked about.  It was a section of VanaFest that was meant as an exclusive for the attendees, and as such, we were explicitly told that no photos could be taken during the movie.

by Kahan

Over the course of my MMORPG life I have played many games that held my attention at one point or another. FFXI, SWG, Everquest 2, Guild Wars, LOTRO, WoW, Warhammer, and Aion just to name some of the more familiar ones.  Some games I played for a few months.  Some games I played for years.  But no game caught my imagination and stole my life like FFXI did. 

By Johnny Cullen

A LinkedIn CV from a Square Enix employee has finally confirmed what’s been obvious for a while: Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox 360.

The profile of Yuuki Akama shows the MMO will be appearing on the platform alongside releases on PC and PlayStation 3.

It says: “Final Fantasy XIV” for PC, PS3, Xbox360″

It also mentions

As the buzz continues to grow around Final Fantasy XIV, Producer Hiromichi Tanaka is also increasingly finding himself the center of attention.  In this week's Famitsu, he was part of a feature on the 20 Most Anticipated Games & Game Creators of 2010.  Tanaka has been a part of Square Enix since 1983, but is now coming

Why hello, Final Fantasy XIV -- you're looking pretty today
by AJ Glasser

Updates to the Final Fantasy XIV website reveal some extra story tidbits and new information on the character creation system. Still no word on a definite release date or news of a PS3 demo. By the way, how do you feel about scars?

The official Final Fantasy XIV website was updated today with new screen shots, story tidbits, and a look at the character creation system.

The character creation system samples skin colors and facial features you can select for your character. These choices are offered to the player only after they've selected their race and clan -- which makes us wonder just how much your race and clan will affect your character's appearance. Scars, tattoos and face bandages appear to be some of the facial feature options -- but we're not seeing piercings.

You can check out the new stuff here. The game is expected to launch sometime this year for PC and PlayStation 3.

An interview was released this week in the most recent issue of Dengeki Games.  It turned out to be a nice read, so I won't waste your time padding this intro.

Check it out below!

Getting to the Core
by Ralsu

Beta Means Work for the Core

When Square Enix began accepting beta applications for Final Fantasy XIV on December 16, the hype meter for FFXIV practically exploded. All of the hopes and dreams we have for the game, all of the anxieties and dread--we're about to have the chance to see it all! But beta isn't about previewing a game. Beta is about helping developers find and correct bugs, tune balance, and assess which components are fun and which are burdensome. If you're a Core gamer, beta means a lot of work. Allow me to explain.