Final Fantasy XI Nears EverQuest In Subscriber Numbers

Thanks to 1UP for the news that Square Enix has announced a total of 430,000 subscribers have signed up worldwide with PlayOnline, as the online subscription service "...which powers Square's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, broke through the 400,000 user mark approximately 18 months after its Japanese debut in May 2002." According to the reports, the recent PC release of FFXI in the U.S. has "...provided a significant boost to the service's user base. Square Enix said it has shipped around 200,000 copies of the PC version to the US market already, and picked up around 100,000 new subscribers so far." More subscriptions are likely when the Final Fantasy XI-bundled PlayStation 2 hard drive launches in the U.S. next March, possibly taking FFXI over EverQuest's total of nearly 500,000 subscribers. The company's mid-term results also provided information on sales of their games, with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance a particular sales highlight in the U.S.

Comments

Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department!

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you guys even reading what the article says? Nowhere does it say that there are 400k subscribers from Japan. It says that they have passed the 400k mark 18 months after the Japanese release (430k at the moment). That number includes U.S. sales over the past month.

Furthermore, as it says, they have sold 200k boxes in the U.S., which have spawned 100k subscriptions. You're just pulling numbers out of your ass when you're talking about 30% of North American users subscribing.

RTFA!! Better yet, actually try to understand the article. Don't just grab a few numbers out of it and start plugging them into your calculators without regard to their actual meaning.

Re:I knew it!

[realdpk]

It probably also helps that the game plays almost identical to Everquest in a lot of ways, that other MMOGs don't. Not that that's bad; obviously it is successful.

It does do some things better than Everquest did, but "autoattack" is still pretty much there, with bash/kick replaced with skills that can be combined in groups. The experience point distribution problem is worse, where if your group is any more than 1 level apart, experience is rather uneven. But all in all it is better.

its great!

[deus_X_machina]

Final Fantasy XI is just so damn appealing it's insane. It appeals to people who enjoy the whole Final Fantasy world, n00bs to MMORPG's who find the familiar world and easy to use interface a breath of fresh air, and hardcore gamers looking for a new experience in a world that's already very developed.

I tried to jump on the whole "Everquest" boat a few years ago, but found it was too complex and annoying. I kept falling in what appeared to be puddles and drowning. The whole "Everquest" world was unfamiliar and kind of overwhelming, so I decided MMORPG's weren't for me. I never even made it out of the first town. Being reared of games like "Exitilus" and "Legend of the Red Dragon", the idea of an MMORPG was very appealing, but I figured they were too complex and annoying, and required too much time for someone like myself to get into.

Until, of course, Final Fantasy XI. Within a week, I have a level 10 warrior doing things like joining parties, slaying monsters, making gil, and chatting it up. It was so easy to become part of the 'community' and do basic easy things. It's literally like playing Final Fantasy, except with a bunch of other people and a slower leveling up process. There are story based missions, lots of NPCs, familiar characters... the list goes on. I feel like I've been playing for months, hell, I even help n00bs out when I can.

5 other people in my hall have decided to give it a try, because it looks so easy to get into. 3 of them have played Final Fantasy prior to XI, and the other two just think it 'looks really fun'. It lacks that 'overhwhelming feel' you get from other MMORPGs, the interface is so friendly and familiar, yet in reality, complex and effective.

Final Fantasy XI has been the best investment I've put into a video game in years. I highly recomend anyone reading this try it. And look for Dyrian. ;)