Why did you start playing FFXI?

[Malamasala]

Was interested in a lot of the upcoming MMOs. FFXI, WoW, Star Wars. But then this happened to come first (well, not to my country but I imported it), and I quickly noticed I wouldn't have time to play all three, so I never bought the others.

So you could say it was a good idea to release the game before the others. Just a shame it has felt like a Beta version until Abyssea was released. But it was nice chatting with people those years between 2003 and 2010.

[Topdogg]

When HDD for ps2 was introduced, it came with a ffxi free 30 day trial. I was in no way interested in an MMO or a final fantasy game but after i found out how useless the HDD was, i gave ffxi a try and was attached 4 days later and still play heavily to this day. On a side note, this was/is my first MMo and final fantasy. /blush

[Cylock]

I started playing by pure accident. It was the end of 2006 if i remember right and I was at Best Buy perusing the shelf of older games. I spotted a copy of FFXI WOTG. At the time I was completely unaware of any online FF game. So i snatched it up and went home to enjoy what i thought was another great installment of the franchise. After putting the disc in my 360 I was greeted with a shock. Monthy fees? install game? b-b-b-whaa? After realizing what exactly had just gone down I said F**k it and installed POL and FFXI, grabbed the Ol trusty CC and let' er rip. I'm grateful for my ignorance because I've enjoyed years of FFXI gameplay, made great friends and enemies alike.

[Xochitl]

I fell in love with FF series from the original one. I have played all of them. When my son and I got accepted to the beta PC testing we were really happy. Needless to say he won the time to play and I did not actually start playing it until 2006. Even though I play other games, FFXI will always be the one I play the most.

[Gilraen]

I joined because my friends were playing it, saying how awesome it was. After spending several months cobbling together a PS2 (had to get it fixed), HDD, copies of the core game and Promathia I managed to log on in time for the first Summerbreeze Festival. Then my friends all quit several months later. Not sure why I kept playing, maybe it's the great writing or the fulfilling quest lines. I DO know that I tend to gain only one level a month, so it's clearly not the gameplay.

[Chamaan]

Because friends had been crowing about how awesome the super bees in Gustaberg were since JP release.

And because Lagnarok Online was taking months to implement the Monk class, so I got tired of waiting and picked up a game that already had Monks. I like to punch stuff.

[Yatsuhiko]

When I heard there was going to be a Final Fantasy game that was online, I though, "That's for me! I have to get it!" Even though I've never played any MMO's prior to that, and I was a kinda late starter in the Final Fantasy series, starting with VII, the thought of getting to choose my own job, race, and looks was mind-blowing for me. Everytime I saw a preview in the magazine, I'd actually sit there and read every word, and just stare in awe at the pictures. When I learned that a certain magazine was also including previews of FFXI on a PS2 disc, I started picking them up. And I'd just watch the developers and magazine editors talk about the game. When it was finally released for the PS2, I was able to get a copy as a birthday present. Despite my first experience not being the best, since I pretty much ignored the manual, it was still everything I hoped for.

[Seha]

Simply because it's a Final Fantasy. I've played all games of the saga and I'm a big fan of it, so I wanted to try this one too. I didn't even know what mmorpg were before I started xD and now I'm here playing for my 6th year~

[Selzak]

I was heavy into SOCOM II on PS2 and bought the hard drive to access a map pack that required it. Looking back, that was one of the earliest map packs on a console and a huge waste of money (the PS2 HDD sold for $100...). When I preordered the HDD I grabbed a little pamphlet for it that included some information about FFXI, which was packaged with the HDD. I had played FFIX, FFVII, and FFX previously (FFIX was probably my favorite game of all time) so it piqued my interest. I was also just getting into the whole online gaming thing, and an MMO sounded really fascinating. Gave it a shot, and got hooked. I've been off and on (restarted completely several times), but here I am about seven years later.

[Joslyn]

played alot of EQ and UO but was getting tired of them, Am a huge FF geek so I thought I'd give it a try, Had to wait for a time till I got my own place and High speed internet before I could start.Been playing since 05 still only have 1 job right now maxed to the current level cap since its my favorite job but I am lvling others that I'm enjoying to play as.