[quote=gamespot]Xbox 360 picks up Final Fantasy XI, will be backward compatible
Square Enix, EA announce strong 360 support; Microsoft announces more than 160 games in development, up to 40 available at launch.
LOS ANGELES--Microsoft opened the next-generation floodgates last week when it publicly unveiled the Xbox 360 on an MTV special, firing the first shots at its rivals in what is sure to be an all-out war for consumers. The Xbox 360 will be released this holiday season, and Microsoft held its annual E3 press conference today to tout the system's features and show off its planned lineup of games. The event took place shortly after Sony wowed the crowd at its own conference by unveiling the PlayStation 3.
The biggest story of the press conference surprised many attendees at the Shrine Auditorium. Microsoft announced that Square Enix, a longtime partner with Microsoft rivals Nintendo and Sony, will be bringing Final Fantasy XI to the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live.
This will be the first Square Enix game for a Microsoft console, and the third platform for FFXI, which previously appeared on the PC in 2003 and PlayStation 2 in 2004. Final Fantasy XI was the first game in the popular role-playing series to go online, and the Xbox version will sport new high-definition graphics and make use of all of Xbox Live's features.
Along with a firm release date and price point, the other big question surrounding the 360 was backward compatibility with the library of games from the original Xbox. Robbie Bach, senior vice president and chief Xbox officer in the Home and Entertainment Division at Microsoft, made Xbox fans around the world happy when he announced that the 360 will indeed play Xbox games.
Although future Xbox 360 owners will be able to play the more than 200 Xbox titles expected this year, it's the 360 games that they'll really want. Microsoft expects 25 to 40 Xbox 360 titles to be available during the console's launch window (defined as within three months of the system's release), and developers currently have more than 160 games in the works.
Among the games Microsoft announced for the console were Tecmo's previously unrevealed fighter Dead or Alive 4 and Capcom's zombie-slayer Dead Rising, which is being developed by legendary game designer Keiji Inafune.
Publisher Electronic Arts announced that its lineup of 360 games, which includes Madden NFL 06, Need for Speed Most Wanted, and The ***father, signifies its largest commitment to any next-generation console's launch.
As detailed last week, Xbox Live will come in two different packages. Xbox Live Silver, which allows gamers to send voice and text messages and participate in other basic features, and the premium subscription-based Xbox Live Gold package, which includes spectator mode and multiplayer gaming privileges. It turns out anyone with an Xbox 360 will get a taste of the good life. Microsoft today announced that all 360 owners will be treated to a free month of the Gold service when they first jack into Xbox Live.
GameSpot will be updating this story and will have more details on Microsoft's E3 press conference, including video and photos, very soon.
By Tim Surette -- GameSpot
POSTED: 05/16/05 07:38 PM PST
Just wanted to get this out there, I'm still watching the Microsoft Press Conference video right now, so I'll throw my opinion in here in a second.
Press conference just ended. You had to go to Xbox.com and click on the e3 symbol at the bottom.
yea but it going to cost $400+tax
I could careless about FFXI. I just care about the offline ones. I hope SE doesn't move to Microsoft. Also.. I think they're going to make games for Microsoft but not like true FFs I suppose. What I mean by that is that they will probably make games like "Crystal Chronicles" for Microsoft like what they did with Nintendo.
I wish they'd come to nintendo, they could do with some good RPG's... and the thing about 40 available at launch, thats crazy... so many to pick from so soon.