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Final Fantasy XI Marks 20th 'Vana'Versary', Akihiko Matsui Talks Reflection on the Past and Upcoming Plans

Christina Gonzalez Updated: Posted:
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Final Fantasy XI  is now 20.  The game was first released on May 16th, 2002 in Japan and was released in North America the following year. The team at Square Enix has been counting down and reflecting on the history of this game and the community that has stuck by these past 20 years. Producer Akihiko Matsui has a new letter talking about where they've come from in Vana’diel and where they're going. 

The reflection on Final Fantasy XI and the community that has continued making the game a place to spend time were always emphasized in the path towards this important anniversary. The We Are Vana’diel site, which has hosted a number of talks, dev videos, and behind the scenes sessions, has offered an ongoing deep dive into the history of this online world from creation to present. Matsui emphasizes in the anniversary letter that:

“The "We" in "We Are Vana'diel, Matsui says, " also includes the many people who have worked on FINAL FANTASY XI in the past and have since moved on to other ventures, be they development staff, QA team members, support staff, or any of the myriad other people who have worked to bring the game to you over the past two decades. The infrastructure they helped to create supports the game to this very day, and it is impossible to overstate the effect their efforts have on the running of Vana'diel as we know it now.”

"We Are Vana'diel" is also the title of a new login screen track that was recently pushed live with the May update. 

As far as what is to come, The Voracious Resurgence storyline is around it's halfway point, with appearances already made by all of the important characters. There will be new battle content coming, with the new Prime weapons finally arriving.  Empyrean weapon reforging will also be added in two updates, one in summer and one in winter. Odyssey will also have a Vengeance cap increase and they will also keep increasing the maximum Master Level.

To Mark the anniversary there's also a return home campaign which will let past subscribers of Final Fantasy XI return to play for free during the campaign.  The campaign is running now and will end Tuesday, May 31st at 1 a.m. Pacific time. If it has been a while since you played the game, there are also many events and campaigns intended to help players progress and get more out of their experience.

See more over at FFXI.


Seshat

Christina Gonzalez

Christina is MMORPG.COM’s News Editor and a contributor since 2011. Always a fan of great community and wondering if the same sort of magic that was her first guild exists anymore.