Square Enix opened a special site “WE ARE VANA’DIEL” for the 20th anniversary of “Final Fantasy XI” today on July 7.
The special site features 3 main contents, including “WE REMEMBER VANA” which recaps major events and announcements for the game, highlights in-game stories and content adventurers may fondly remember, and showcases behind-the-scenes commentary from the development and operations teams. The timeline will be updated periodically with additional staff commentary.
In “WE DISCUSS VANA’DIEL“, FFXI Producer Akihiko Matsui is joined by various guests with deep ties to the game to speak about their memories and experiences in Vana’diel. The first of these conversations features Hiromichi Tanaka, producer of FFXI from the beginning of development until 2012—additional discussions will be added in future website updates.
A Gallery session “WE ILLUSTRATE VANA’DIEL” is also included showcasing the official illustrations of FFXI, including the work of Yoshitaka Amano, Tetsuya Nomura. Artwork will be added to the gallery through periodic updates, with showcased artwork also being available for download as PC wallpapers.
▼ The Final Fantasy XI World Map – Illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano
▼ Illustration from the Rise of the Zilart Expansion by Yoshitaka Amano