Video game developers Square-Enix announced that gamers can now sign up to gain potential access to the first of many planned beta phases for the upcoming Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Final Fantasy XIV.
According to a press release, registration began Wednesday. All eager participants need to do is go to the official Web site for Final Fantasy XIV.
In order to sign up, all you need to do is make sure you a Square-Enix ID account, a fast internet connection and all the other prerequisites necessary to run the video game. For instance, having a computer that is up to snuff will probably improve your odds of being selected for beta testing.
Strangely enough, despite Sony’s insistence at E3 2009 that Final Fantasy XIV will launch for both the PC and PlayStation 3, the planned beta phases are currently slated only for PC gamers.
Like most PC game betas, registering does not guarantee a spot once the beta begins. Fortunately, according to Joystiq, the Square-Enix Web site says that “all individuals are invited to apply, regardless of their past MMORPG experience.”
But if enthusiastic gamers of all levels of experiences don’t happen to make it into this beta, they shouldn’t fret. Square-Enix is promising more, larger beta phases in the near future.
Final Fantasy XIV is a sequel to Square-Enix’s current Final Fantasy-based MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. It is set to be released simultaneously for PC and PlayStation 3 in 2010 and will be available in English, French, German and Japanese.
Tthough Final Fantasy XI was eventually ported to the Xbox 360, Square-Enix has yet to announce a Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIV. However, according to Square Enix producer Hiromichi Tanaka, the Japanese RPG developer is exploring the possibility.
Despite trailing millions behind in subscribers, Final Fantasy XI is regarded as one of World of Warcraft’s biggest competitors, and, with Final Fantasy XIV, the game will hopefully close the gap between Square-Enix and Blizzard’s MMORPGs
According to Kotaku, Square Enix’s president, Yoichi Wada, said, ”WoW is a tough competitor, but whether you are talking about EverQuest, Ultima or Lineage there has never been a company that has a continuously successful number one and two MMO”.
Also, Wada added that he believes Final Fantasy XIV will be a “serious rival” of World of Warcraft, a MMORPG that enjoys a sizable 11 million active subscribers.
Our Take
Do I think Final Fantasy XIV will be a serious rival of WoW? Probably not. Will it still be awesome? Probably. I definitely signed up for the beta because it’s really the best way to try out a MMORPG without ever having to buy it. It’s like a huge demo, and there’s really no harm in signing up and hoping you get selected. With other potentially big MMORPG’s like Star Wars: The Old Republic and the new World of Warcraft expansion on the horizon, it’s smart to know what you’re getting into before dropping $50 on an online RPG you might not even like.
