On the night before VanaFest, I had a chance to sit down with Matt Hilton and Devin Casadey of the North American Community Team and Kohei Okada of the European Community Team. The respective teams were in Tokyo to cover the event for players overseas who could not be there in person. It was the first such undertaking for the NA and EU offices, as previous VanaFests, such as those held in Osaka and Tokyo's Kourakuen Hall, were only seen by Japanese audiences, with limited video and pictures making their way online.

This unprecedented level of coverage was a great victory for the Community Team and all players worldwide. Together, we discussed how it happened, and how Square Enix intends to improve communication with adventurers in Vana'diel.

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Absolute Virtue means Absolutely nothing after the level cap is raised to 99 in this week's Happy Friday.

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Ever since the announcement of the server merges, my emotions have been on a seemingly neverending roller coaster. At first, I thought it was great that I'd be seeing a lot more people walking around beside me than I usually do. I was ecstatic that my destination world held a wonderful friend, Susperia, on it. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that I could soon lose something I'd had since November 2003. Something that has become more a part of my personality than the name I was given at birth: the name Pikko.

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This poor Final Fantasy XI and XIV fan just couldn't handle a week so full of exciting news... or at least his face couldn't.

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With the forums still burning with discussion over all the world shattering announcements revealed at VanaFest this past weekend, another segment of Final Fantasy fandom had things to discuss as well, namely the first wave of beta testing invitations sent to Final Fantasy XI subscribers on March 1.

We are pleased to announce that the ZAM Network has partnered with Square Enix to offer current Final Fantasy XI players a special opportunity to enter the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIV Beta!

Adventurers eager for a spot in this early phase of the Beta Test will only need to enter their Square Enix Account's e-mail address and region to be considered for a chance to be one of the first to step foot in Eorzea.

This contest is now closed.

Opinions of every variety have been flying across the forums after players were hit by the numerous bombshells dropped at VanaFest this year.  Whatever side you may be on, you cannot dispute that the face of Vana'diel will be forever changed.  Unexplored areas, 24 more levels to surmount, fresh-looking Notorious Monsters, enhanced jobs, weapons infused with untold power... the announcements just seemed to keep on coming!

For a persistent online world 8 years running, it looks like Final Fantasy XI is finding brand new life.  The "death" of FFXI has always been the topic that would never die.  If anything, VanaFest should put that fear to rest.  With the wealth of new content planned for this year alone, adventurers will have no trouble filling their online hours with new quests and goals.

Let's jump in a take a look at what the developers brought to the table in Tokyo!  In this final wrap-up, I'll take you through the announcements and information that rocked the world of Vana'diel.

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In 2008, Square Enix held VanaFest at Tokyo's Kourakuen Hall.  It was a smaller, more exclusive event compared to the festivals of year's past, but Corinth, working on JP Button at the time, managed to win us tickets through the lottery.  Armed with only a notepad and an iPhone, we relayed small, text updates throughout the day and the even itself.  Not even two years later, we know see multiple live blogs, streaming video and countless Twitter feeds all focused on Seinenkan Grand Hall.  It's amazing how much technology and the Internet have evolved in such a short time.

However, those are not the only things that have improved.  Through the efforts of the Community Team, players were treated to a direct play-by-play of the event this year in Tokyo.  Leading up to the big day, we also got pictures and video showing the preparation that went into VanaFest.  The developers also got in on the fun, with Hiromichi Tanaka and Sage Sundi in particular posing for some playful shots.  The connection between the Square Enix staff and the Final Fantasy XI players is also getting progressively stronger and more beneficial towards both sides.

VanaFest 2010 brought many surprises both during and around the actual event.  Let's take a look at what went on!

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VanaFest2010 was held at Tokyo's Seinenkan Grand Hall over the weekend and it was truly an epic experience in and of itself.  Just as fun was the trip itself, which we chronicled through CoverItLive.  During the days surrounding the event, Corinth and myself posted pictures and interacted with other Final Fantasy XI fans in preparation for the exciting announcements yet to come.  Of course, I must also acknowledge Pikko's great efforts in keeping the conversation running while we were all on the move.

Despite the overwhelming crowds, Tokyo is one of the must-see places in Japan.  Trips to VanaFest or Tokyo Game Show give us the perfect opportunity to let forum-goers travel along with us and see the sights we see.  Living in Japan, you tend to take your surroundings for granted after a while, and sharing with people overseas lets us all see our home away from home in a new light and brings a refreshing excitement to what has became daily activity.

It's great to see so many people enjoy riding along with us, and I want to thank everyone who participated!  Now, on to the recap!

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It's been on the minds of players for years now and VanaFest 2010 finally brought us the official news: certain Final Fantasy XI servers will be merging into others next month. The current amount of servers will be reduced down to 24, with players from 'Source Worlds' transferring to 'Destination Worlds'.

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For more information on this, read the following from PlayOnline:

 Amongst the plethora of new content that was announced at Vanafest 2010, Square Enix announced three new add-on scenarios for the parallel world of Abyssea. From new, ferocious notorious monsters to brand new equipment in styles reminiscent of Artifact and Relic armor from days of old, these new scenarios garner towards those adventurers who aren't feint of heart willing to test their mettle against hordes of new challenges.

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