Despite their already being a second MMO in the franchise, Final Fantasy XI is still going strong and won’t shut down soon.
This year is the 20th anniversary since Final Fantasy XI’s initial launch. A lot of happened in that time frame, such as the release of three mainline games in the series, two sequels for one of those mainline titles, a failed MMO attempt, and then the successful revamp of that failed MMO attempt. With the success of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, one would think Square Enix would want to focus solely on one MMO right now.
However, according to Final Fantasy XI director, Yoji Fujito, the game is not shutting down anytime soon. These statements were made during an interview with Famitsu (also via ryokutya2089) in an issue which celebrated the 20 year milestone.
Yoji Fujito addressed the concerns that fan have that Final Fantasy XI would shut down sometime in 2022. His response is saying, “…I don’t think you will have to be concerned about that happening anytime soon.”
This also goes along with comments made by producer Akihiko Matsui who state that the higher ups all say to “keep FFXI”. So it would seem fans of the series can be glad their MMO of choice will still be running for a while longer.
It’s understandable why people would think the company would eventually plan on ending service to the long running MMO. Aside from it being as old as it is, it’s even older than the popular World of Warcraft.
There is already another newer MMO within the franchise – and it’s not as if Final Fantasy XIV is irrelevant either, as according to their most recent financial reports.. Square Enix reported a rise in income thanks to that game.
This anniversary celebration is also not the only major milestone the company, or even franchise is celebrating. Final Fantasy as a whole is celebrating their 35th year and Final Fantasy VII is celebrating their 25th year anniversary. In fact, news of the latter’s celebration has been hinted to potentially reveal part two of Final Fantasy VII’s remake.
What do you think of this news? Are you someone who’s playing Final Fantasy XI and can now breath a sigh of relief the game’s life will go on even if just a little longer?
