It got launched out yesterday but the sales were very dissapointing in Tokyo.Most of the buyers don't have fiber optic broadband connections so they are not interested to buy the game.PS2 ability to play online is being tested with this game.

Kumar, you think this thing has a chance of surviving? Does Online gaming fit in the Japanese culture very well? I mean are people willing to devote large amounts of time developing their character online?

Hey you're in Shibuya I love playing that level on Jet Set Radio Future.

I just hope the American sales carry this title. I won't buy it however, online gaming does not interest me at all. If it fails Square will be hurting big time.

I will be purchasing this title when it comes out. I got DSL, so I might as well abuse it.

Weird. The title of IGN's article is "FFXI Sells Out". Now I can't read it cause it is an Insider article, but I think it prolly tells how they sold all their copies. Can some who is an insider tell what the article says?

Pretty much... talks about how a lot of stores completely sold out of their copies...

I heard the opposite - the game sold out, but the customers are hugely dissatisfied because apparently so many people were registering at once that the registration servers crashed. Looks like Square dropped the ball and really wasn't as prepared for the launch as they thought they were.

I've never played an online RPG, but have played through every final fantasy to date (with the exception of 10, no ps2 yet). What is the concept for 11? Is it like you create a character and account and such and then just go on out to a world and do random quests and stuff like everquest? I mean, is there really ever an ending to the game or cut scenes, etc?

Also, does anyone know if you have to pay a monthly fee like with everquest? Or do you just have to have your own cable connection?

I do have a broadband connection (cable), but at this point, I don't think I'd buy FFXI. The monthly fee is what's keeping me away..

Fom The Magicbox:

- Square's first online RPG Final Fantasy XI has finally launched in Japan, which is also one of the first large scale PS2 online game available in the market. In the first day, there are also some issues about the PlayOnline service. Users reported there are occasional slowdowns in the network, due to a large number of users accessing the server simultaneously. There are also reports of network disconnection after the user logon to PlayOnline. Square is currently looking into resolving the issues.

- Due to a limited supply of Sony's PS2 Broadband Units, Square has only shipped between 150,000 to 200,000 copies of Final Fantasy XI to retail stores. Several game retailers reported over 100 people have lined up in front of the stores for the game, the game has sold out within a short time. Many people also signed up for the PS2BB (broadband) service at the same time.

Either one of those problems by itself might not have been a big deal but both combined could be a huge problem because the people who didn't get FF11 due to the shortage might be hesitant to do so now due to the bad reports from others. 150,000 to 200,000 sold so far is pretty good though -- I didn't think this game would sell well at all.

if they can fix the problems and if I think the game is fun I would probably pay $5 a month, but no more. Anyone else think that if you pay a monthly fee though, the game should be free?

Well, they are charging close to $10 a month in Japan. I bet that price will be the same here.

If the game is online-only, it should probably be cheaper than $50. Maybe between $20 to $30. But I doubt they would give it away for free unless it's bundled with the HD/network adaptor combo.

I'm starting to think that the release of Final Fantasy games is a conspiracy by Square to teach people Roman numerals over an extended period of time.

lol! Yeah and who said you can't learn anything from videogames!

I had no interest in this game for a long time (I've played every FF by the way), but when they put up a streaming movie of the ingame action I really wanted to try it! I also haven't played any online rpg's before and don't know exactly how they work, I have beta tested a few but the game's were not complete enough to be considered full games. Even though it was limited release, this was probably a lot of gamer's first experience with online gaming so its too bad it had to be such a rocky start. Most sites are saying that the problem was that the online webpayment transaction (login character selecter thingy) could not handle the capacity of users registering at the same time, the servers are down now. I'm hoping they take it as a learning experience. Though I don't know if online gaming will be popular in japan. I do know that broadband and even the internet isn't as wide spread in Japan as it is in other countries, I think in most areas they don't even have a flat online rate until after 11:00 PM until early morning. I don't game online that much but this game looks like it has the potential to be cool.

On a more positive side, Kingdom Hearts is still the 3rd top selling game in Japan, its getting close to selling a million copies. The game must be really awesome! Too bad we have to wait for it

Square is in trouble.

Square's stock has plummeted due to the utter disaster which was the FFXI launch. Nearly two days after the game launched, the servers are STILL down, and customers are starting to get pissed off.
With so much riding on FFXI, including the future of MMORPG and online gaming in Japan (online gaming has never been big in Japan), this is a very disappointing setback.

There's currently a gaggle of information on this at http://www.gameforms.com/

lol, it was a breeze when I logged on the first day w/ Chuchu r0cket

FF XI is not selling well!There are soo many copies left in the stores.Usually it would be selling like hot cakes but not this time, I dont see the people lining up also.The TV coverage on this also is very low.And Cable Broadband is still expensive and limited to certain areas only!Even in Tokyo not every town get's it!

Another full filled interactive movie.........

So is there an end to this game and is there anyway you can play this game off-line?