E3: No graphics update for FFXI on Xbox 360

The version of Square Enix' massively multiplayer title Final Fantasy XI which was announced with a fanfare for Xbox 360 earlier this week will not feature any major enhancements over the existing PS2 and PC versions of the game, representatives of the firm have confirmed.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz at E3, Japanese representatives of Square Enix said that the game would be "exactly the same", with the only update being the addition of HDTV resolutions. No new models or environments will be added to the game, which will run on the same servers as the PC and PS2 editions.

The company also revealed that Final Fantasy XI was originally in development for the current generation Xbox console, but that an agreement couldn't be reached with Microsoft that would allow Square Enix to implement its custom PlayOnline online gaming service on Xbox Live.

The restrictions on this have been eased significantly with the Xbox 360, the firm's spokespeople explained, and players will log into PlayOnline in order to play FFXI, not the Live service.

The team lauded the ease of development of the Xbox 360, saying that it took them just two to three months to get the game up and running on the platform, and said that it hopes to expand the audience for FFXI by moving to the new platform - especially in Europe, where this will be the first console version of the game to be made available.