Happy Vana’versary to the first MMORPG to ever come from Japan, and one of the longest-running ongoing games of all time, Final Fantasy XI. In 2002, the game launched on the Playstation 2 and later on Windows and XBOX 360, pre-dating MMO titans such as World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Gaia Online, and even Maple Story. Now, twenty years later, the world of Vana’diel remains a staple for Final Fantasy fans and MMO enthusiasts, and one of Square-Enix’s most profitable games of all time. In 2015, Final Fantasy XI would see its last major expansion, Seekers of Adoulin, but to this day still receives free addons, updates, and new endgame content every few months to keep players coming back year after year.
Final Fantasy XI would go on to serve as a base foundation for Square-Enix’s next MMOPRG, which started as an absolute trainwreck and later became the most successful MMORPG in the world, Final Fantasy XIV. Although it has arguably seen more popular days now that FFXIV reigns supreme, Final Fantasy XI is one of those games that — once you dive into it — you really come to appreciate what it offered back in the early 2000s. It has held up amazingly well, even up until today, in 2022.
The fanbase is still incredibly passionate for Vana’diel, with a thriving online community, subreddit, and official Discord server that’s always happy to welcome players, new and old, for an adventure (especially if you play a White Mage). Between leveling guides, quickstart tips, visual enhancement mods, private servers, and two fan wikis, all being updated regularly, it’s very clear that Final Fantasy XI is far from being the dead game that people love to meme about.
In recent years, the game’s difficulty has been scaled down to account for its quality of life and to combat issues regarding party building, to accommodate solo players. What used to take months during the 2000s can be done in only a few days, especially with fan guides written by veteran plays. Quests and story content that once seemed impossible are now more forgiving to casual players, pushing most “hard mode” content all the way to endgame territory so those who just want to experience the story can breeze through it.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Square-Enix is pulling out quite a few surprises. First up, in the spirit of engaging with the community, the development team will be doing a Reddit AMA on May 23rd/24th (depending on timezones).
Next, the entire game is discounted for a limited time. Those curious and wanting to take a dive into the past can join others in Vana’diel via the Ultimate Collection: Seekers Edition for only $10.00 (and it comes with your first month, free). In addition, new merchandise has been announced, including an absolutely adorable coffee mug!
Then, possibly the best part of the celebration (that’s my personal bias) is a very special digital art gallery showcasing fan works submitted by Final Fantasy XI fans from all over the world. Fans have come together to express what they love most about Vana’diel, whether it be the irreplaceable friendships they’ve made with other players, unforgettable stories, or memories of an immersive world.
The PS2 and XBOX 360 servers have long since been shut down, leaving only the Windows client in operation. The long-awaited HD mobile reboot of the game sadly saw sudden cancelation in 2021. While the future of Final Fantasy XI at times can feel uncertain, the developers have made a small statement saying that they don’t plan on shutting down the game anytime soon. What’s more, as twenty years have shown, there will always be a fanbase dedicated and passionate for such a classic MMO. So long as there are Warriors of the Crystal ready for an adventure, Square-Enix will find a way to keep Vana’diel moving forward.
Currently, I’m over a year into playing and it’s been a joy to experience. If you’ve ever wondered what awaits, now is definitely the time to give it a chance.
Happy 20th Vana’versary, Final Fantasy XI. Cheers to twenty more. And a special thank you to both tarotoro0 and RinTheYordle on Twitter for providing us their fanart to use.
It all began with a stone, or so the legend says.
