From the FINAL FANTASY XI Development Team

FINAL FANTASY XI Celebrates 17 Years of Service! (05/16/2019)

Today marks 17 years since FINAL FANTASY XI began service back in May 2002. This would not have been possible without the support of all the adventurers who have set foot in Vana'diel, and for that you have my heartfelt gratitude.



We focused on making our 16th year of service one in which we brought together friends new and old, and to that end we introduced the FFXI ReFriender, a service that brings together FINAL FANTASY XI players. In our 17th year of service, we want to focus on supporting your adventures in Vana'diel, no matter what they may be.



What this means is that while we will of course continue to develop and produce content for our most seasoned of veterans, we are also going to put forth effort into making Vana'diel an easy-to-understand, easy-to-adventure place for those just starting off their FINAL FANTASY XI journeys. In concrete terms, we have fully revamped the installer program, the very first experience that newcomers have when stepping into Vana'diel. We hope that this will make FINAL FANTASY XI seem less daunting when first going about the installation process, making for a much more modern experience, and we can confidently say that installing FFXI has never been easier.



If you have any friends who have previously played XI but are currently on hiatus, be sure to let them know that the Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign has just gotten underway, and take this opportunity to adventure with your friends once more. One of the new experiences waiting for them is the special live concert held by the morbol idol group SHINING BLESS! The FFXI ReFriender is also getting a minor facelift during this event, so now's the perfect time to give it a go if you haven't already.



We might joke a little bit and say that 17 isn't a nice round number like 15 way, but it is thanks to your patronage year after year that we have come this far, so 17 is just as special to us as any of the anniversaries that came before or will come hence.



The development and operations teams are working in tandem to bring you the best Vana'diel experience ever as we approach our next major checkpoint—the 20th anniversary—and we hope that you will continue to enjoy this journey with us.



